The injured pilot, who belongs to Squadron 123 – the Desert Birds, was participating in the rescue operation when she was hurt, as reported by Israel Hayom. Initial reports suggested that she might have been dead, but she was trapped in the cockpit for a long time, caught between life and death, while her teammates and soldiers from Brigade 162 worked to saw through the cockpit doors to rescue her and the other injured individuals.
Once rescued, she underwent life-saving procedures on-site, and doctors are now fighting to save her life in the hospital.
The disaster resulted in the deaths of two reserve fighters from Unit 669: Sergeant Major (Res.) Daniel Alush and Sergeant Major (Res.) Tom Ish-Shalom. The accident left a pilot, a reserve pilot, and an airborne mechanic from Squadron 123, a reserve doctor, and a reserve fighter from the Special Rescue Unit (669) in serious condition.
Additionally, a reserve combat doctor from the Special Rescue Unit (669) and an airborne mechanic from Squadron 123 were moderately injured. The soldier whom the helicopter crew was supposed to rescue was a fighter from Engineering Battalion 710, who was severely injured in combat in southern Gaza. The injured individuals were evacuated for medical treatment, and their families were notified.
Farhan Al-Kadi was rescued from a tunnel in Gaza at the end of August, after being located by the fighting forces. Al-Kadi, 52, married with 11 children, lived with his family in a village south of Rahat. He worked for many years as a security guard at the Ego packaging plant near the settlement of Yishai. On October 7, his family tried to reach him by phone unsuccessfully. It was only several weeks later that they received official notification of his abduction.
