New details are emerging days after the heroic operation in which IDF forces rescued abductees Fernando Simon, 61, and Louis Har, 70, who were kidnapped by Hamas to the Gaza Strip from the southern kibbutz of Nir Yitzhak on Oct. 7 from the Hamas stronghold of Rafah.
It appears that Hamas attempted to direct more terrorists to the area where the operation was taking place to prevent the rescue, and that once the captives were onboard an IDF vehicle, Hamas tried to pursue the rescue party in a jeep of their own. That vehicle was eliminated from the air by an Israeli jet.
According to a publication by the military reporter Yossi Yehoshua, the operation involved careful planning down to the smallest detail and was already planned to take place in the last few weeks, but was cancelled because conditions were not ripe.
At around 1 a.m. Monday morning, IDF forces, which were carefully selected to carry out the operation, secretly arrived at a building where the abductees were being held on the second floor. The area of Rafah where they were operating had yet to be taken control of by Israeli forces.
The soldiers attached a bomb to the door of the apartment and eliminated the terrorists inside the building. They later fired at nearby points where Hamas terrorists were stationed.
IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said that “many terrorists were eliminated tonight in this action,” including at least three in the building where the hostages were held. Hamas claimed that around 100 people were killed during the operation.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said it was, “among the most successful rescue operations” in Israel’s history.