For five days of intense ground operations in central Gaza, hundreds of IDF soldiers from the Kfir, 7th and Paratroopers brigades fought Hamas terrorists from the Deir al-Balah Brigade while carrying out special preparatory objectives. The significant preparations ahead of Operation Arnon to rescue four Israeli hostages from Hamas captivity were heavily concealed. Only a few dozen Israelis were privy to the planned operation.
Inside the helicopter: Noa Argamani rescued from the Gaza Strip
(credit: IDF)
The IDF's top brass managed to keep the planned operation secret from the battalion soldiers who had started the operation six days prior, officially defined as targeting "east of Deir al-Balah and Nuseirat." This was likely to avoid arousing the enemy’s suspicion, knowing the hostages were held in Nuseirat south of Gaza City.
The hundreds of infantry and armor brigade soldiers who were mobilized on Saturday around 11:00 a.m. to assist in the Border Police’s National Counter-Terrorism Unit (Yamam) forces' rescue had been in a position close to Nuseirat for hours and were only informed of their mission during the initial encounter between Yamam officers and terrorists. Only the forces’ battalion commanders were briefed in advance and, even then, only a day or two before the operation was executed.
"The Kfir Brigade was the hinge on which the operation rested. Through deceptive and unique actions we carried out on the routes and paths around Nuseirat and nearby Deir al-Balah, aboveground and underground," said Major Eliav, the Kfir Brigade’s operations officer.
"We prepared for this operation after taking action around several buildings, securing entry routes, and setting up ambushes to ensure the operation's success and deceive the enemy, using the brigade's firepower to mislead Hamas,” he added.
The young officer was also briefed on the operation at the last moment - in a combat zone - and struggled to contain his excitement. "I cannot describe the tension, especially after the rescue vehicle got stuck and the operation was set back. We were the first to see the Yamam unit and witnessed their incredible capabilities.”
4 View gallery
Almog Meir Jan, Noa Argamani, Andrey Kozlov, Shlomi Ziv
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
“Being there and under fire, it felt like a Hollywood movie for several tense minutes. When I heard them saying through our communication '1 recovered,' then '3 recovered,' my heart pounded loudly. The stuck vehicle was a scenario we had anticipated, which is why we got it quickly and aggressively to mislead the enemy."
Now, the brigade – having participated in maneuvers for the first time at the start of the war and having operated in Shijaiyah, Beit Hanoun, and Khan Younis – intends to remain in Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah to complete their mission: defeat the final local Hamas brigade still functioning, alongside operations against Hamas’s Rafah Brigade in southern Gaza.
Major Eliav added: "We’re operating accurately and professionally against the Hamas battalion we encountered, which is booby-trapping buildings and fighting against us. Kfir soldiers have recently eliminated 20 terrorists in these clashes, and we still have a lot of work to do here."
The Paratroopers Brigade’s Reconnaissance Unit commander, Major Roie, led the operation to rescue the stuck vehicle. His soldiers quickly took over a building teeming with terrorists that overlooked the intersection through which the vehicle carrying the hostages and wounded was supposed to pass, ensuring the road was safe for it.
So far, the unit, like other IDF brigades maneuvering in the Strip, has been used to clear enemy buildings after artillery fire, airstrikes, and other removal methods. This time, the soldiers had to storm an untouched neighborhood, while facing the corresponding risk of doing so.
Major Roie recounted, "We were on standby as a reserve for the special forces' operation from the early morning hours and were exposed to their objective hours before it happened – in case things got complicated.”
"When we understood that one of their vehicles got stuck in the field, we drove as fast as possible, reached the area where the Yamam forces were operating, and were responsible for rescue under fire to enable their access to the landing zones," he said. "The Israeli Air Force acted against Hamas targets throughout. You feel like you’re in the heart of a ring of smoke and fire that surrounds you."
Major Roie added: "The soldiers didn't even know what they were acting for until we got on the vehicles. We only heard four hostages had been rescued alive in this operation, and in fact, we were the last to disengage from the area, after it was all done."