The rescue
New headcam footage released by the Israeli military shows the daring operation where members of the Navy’s elite Shayetet 13 commando unit arrived at the scene in armoured vehicles to free the hostages. The commandos were accompanied by tanks and were seen firing at Hamas terrorists. A site was soon secured for soldiers to call down a chopper that was coming in from the sea.
The video shows Israeli soldiers escorting Kozlov and Jan towards the helicopter after it lands. The hostages are seen hanging on to the commandos for support.
Following the rescue, the chopper took off and exited the Gaza strip where they delivered the hostages to the Sheba Medical Center, near Tel Aviv. Their eight-month-long ordeal thus came to an end.
The “high-risk” rescue mission was launched by Israeli special forces from the IDF, the Israeli police’s elite counter-terrorism unit and intelligence unit Shin Bet in the central Gazan Nuseirat refugee camp. Two buildings occupied by Hamas, where the hostages were being held, were targeted.
The mission led to the death of an IDF commander, who played a key role in rescuing the hostages. Arnon Zamora is now being hailed as a hero.
“Behind every rescue mission, are Israeli men and women who risk their lives. We are devastated to share that Chief Inspector Arnon Zamora, commander and tactical operator in the Yamam (National Police Counter-Terrorism Unit), who was critically wounded in the operation to rescue hostages this morning, has succumbed to his wounds,” Israeli’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Saturday on X.
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