The Navy soldiers who participated in the operation to rescue the abductees speak/Niv Aharonson
They are reluctant to be interviewed and would prefer to stay in the shadows.
As much as it depends on them, embarking on another rescue operation is only a matter of time.
The murderous evil and horrors of Hamas terrorists were witnessed by all the soldiers of the IDF on October 7. This week, a group of fighters went on an extraordinary rescue operation in the heart of Rafah. A few days later, four of the soldiers of the unit who participated in the rescue of the kidnapped, Fernando Merman and Luis Har, gave themselves to a joint interview with Walla! , even today, they know and remind themselves and us that there are another 134 Israeli citizens abducted in Gaza
. In terms of capabilities as well as perception. In fact, we approach every operation like this, but here there is the added challenge of being in an area where no IDF maneuver has been carried out and facing a battalion of terrorists with full competence and a defense mission."
A veteran official in the unit adds that "there has never been such an activity. There were indeed some operations in Gaza about 20 years ago, but not during wartime and not to rescue hostages."
The IDF soldiers who participated in the operation to free the hostages from Hamas captivity in Rafah/Israel Police Spokesperson
The operation was even more complex because it was in Rafah, a place where the IDF has not yet laid groundwork and where hundreds of terrorists belonging to the Shebra Refugee Camp Battalion are deployed, which according to Israeli security officials, still remains strong on the ground, but also ended up fighting. High," explained one of the fighters, Corporal Y.
"We got used to working until October 7 in the Kasbahs and refugee camps in Judea and Samaria. Here the story is different. It's the distance, the confrontation with the enemy and the sensitivity of the terrain."
Commander A, another fighter in the unit, adds: "In terms of our preparation, it is completely different from what we are familiar with. This is no longer an operation to arrest or intercept wanted persons. This is an operation to rescue abductees. The reduction in details and the exercises we performed brought us to a situation where we do not need to talk. Be clear, the signs and eye looks were agreed upon in advance, that we understand each other and know where we are going."
At that time, when you move towards the building where the abductees were kept.
What's going through your mind?
Commandant A: "Think about the here and now, about the fact that everything is ticking in the meantime and everyone knows exactly what their mission is, and I assume that everyone runs through all the possible scenarios in their head and what they do in case something happens, and at each stage we go through, it is another kind of relief on the way to the destination ".
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Documentation of the helmets of the navy fighters
Documentation of YMM helmets/IDF spokesman
Despite the late hour and the element of surprise, when the Hamas terrorists recognized that our forces had infiltrated under their noses and reached the two abductees, they tried to disrupt the rescue and harm the rescuers.
The dramatic minutes and the exciting encounter with the two abductees are described by Commander A, who was the first fighter to break into the building and identified the stunned abductees.
"After we broke the door, I recognize the two terrorists and shoot at them, I recognize Luis and Fernando crawling towards the house," he recalls.
Corporal Y joins Fernando and takes him out towards the balcony.
I join Lewis who is crawling to the front of the house, and I grab him by the leg and pull him towards the balcony, at this point I and J lie down on them because our mission right now is that no splash or projectile will hit them.
At this stage, we receive more fire and more shooting and grenades from inside the house itself, from neighboring houses.
The power of A and the power of D give us cover and aggressiveness when the bottom line is that if there is another terrorist left with the desire to raise his head, then he disappears.
We send the abductees to slide down while covering up and from there to the vehicles and disconnect with them."
The IDF soldiers who participated in the operation to free the hostages from Hamas captivity in Rafah, February 14, 2024/Israel Police Spokesperson
From the moment of contact with the abductees to joining the helicopter that rescued them from Gaza, it was a matter of a few minutes that seemed like an eternity.
"Only then do you breathe a sigh of relief because you realize that you have fulfilled your mission," continues Commander A.
"I didn't believe at first that we would return them safe and sound and that we would all return safe and sound. I was afraid of a more serious incident. I was prepared that we might suffer injuries or losses, God forbid."
Inspector E. agrees with A.'s words: "You should have met the guys from the Shin Bet who accompanied us.
Everyone gave their part to the success of the operation.
The terrorists shot at us, threw explosives, threw grenades, basically everything they had.
But as mentioned, our fire plan was very specific and aggressive and we responded to all sources of fire."
Fernando Merman and Luis Herr reunited with their family after the rescue/documentation in social networks according to Article 27 A of the Copyright Law
"My wife realized that I'm not in the PAK"
Back to the rescue operation itself.
Inspector A excitedly recounts how he met Merman and Har.
"I shouted to them: 'This is the IDF.
Come with us.
We came to bring you home,'" he said. Commander E. added: "One of the fighters spoke Spanish to them.
While they were outside, it was a conversation of seconds, but it was designed to motivate them to connect them to the event.
You have to understand: they were seconds before when they were sleeping and suffered an explosion from a broken door.
They came to their senses and reacted amazingly."
The fighters of the IMM unit took part in the day of the massacre on October 7 and also suffered casualties.
"After that Shabbat, there was a feeling of great anger and a desire to correct what happened. We were waiting for this call, for this operation. After all, this is the mission of the unit. That's what it was established for," said Pakad E.
Commander Y: "I don't see a scenario where people are kidnapped and the IMM is not involved in such an event.
This is something we as a unit have proven in recent years.
And it was not for nothing that the unit became a national unit.
As soon as civilians were kidnapped to Gaza, it was clear to us that it was only a matter of time before we went in to rescue them.
And from here on, it's a matter of time until we go in again to rescue."
Commander of the Israel Defense Forces, Israel Police Spokesperson
Despite the anger and pain and the heavy toll suffered by the unit, Commander E. clarifies that "one of the things you are taught as a fighter at the very beginning is to regulate your emotions to the right strengths and places, so with all the anger you take it to a place of sharpness, of readiness and seriousness and also modesty in this context. I lost in - On October 7, quite a few friends, I lost my CPC, the deputy CPC, and 3 other close members of the team were injured, and in this mission I felt that the fallen were accompanying us and they were covering us as part of the mission completely."
According to the fighters, the successful operation in Rafah was also a result of the extensive activity carried out by the fighters of the Judea and Samaria Navy.
The experience from the activity there in terms of the level of pressure, the functioning under fire and the communication between people, is an experience that was directly reflected on October 7th and also now.
It has a tremendous meaning," explained Commander A.
Some of the fighters have families. In every operation like this, there is a dimension of secrecy. "I shared with my wife as much as possible," explained A. "She pretty much knew where I was going.
I didn't tell her who and why because it has to be kept a secret so that's how we acted.
For me it's another day at work.
In the end, you want to create a normal routine at home." To this Inspector A added: "I am a reservist, so I did not tell my family that I was leaving for another day at work.
In the preparations for the operation, we had butterflies in our stomachs.
During the operation itself the pulse was over 60. The pulse drops and the operations are carried out calmly.
I told my wife that I was going to PAK and when I came back I told her that I wasn't at PAK.
I think she figured it out on her own."
The HMM is waiting to be read. The families of the abductees/official website, the headquarters of the families of the abductees
The day after for the soldiers of the unit is facing forward for another rescue operation and any other task that will be placed on the shoulders of the soldiers.
"There are 134 more abductees and on the day this unit is required for another operation, there is not a fighter here who will not do everything to bring another abductee back to their parents, children and families. This is the mission and this is our mission," stated A.
Toward the end of the interview, Inspector E. refers to the day after and not only from the point of view of a YMM fighter. "There is a lot of anger and embarrassment.
The thought of how this happened to us, but it was also a wake-up call and humility.
I am also a person of faith.
Technology is nice, cameras are nice, in the end it's people, from top to bottom."
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