Rescue Operation
Fernando Simon Marman, 60, and Louis Har, 70, who were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak on October 7 rescued by IDF, Shin Bet and police forces found to be in good health and transported to hospital where they are reunited with their families
Daniel Hagari: “This night we conducted a successful rescue operation in which Fernando Simon Marman and Luis Har, who were abducted from Nir Yitzhak, were released. Their condition is good. They are currently undergoing medical examinations at Sheba Hospital. Both were held by Hamas in Rafah. The operation was led by Shabak’s special operations center and carried out by YAMAM fighters and Shabak’s operational unit.”
Not an easy job.
The IDF and Shabak had been working on this operation for a long time, the conditions for it had not yet developed, and we were waiting for them to emerge. The operation was a very difficult task to reach the target in the heart of Rafiah.
The fighters approached the target covertly around 1:00am and executed a very complex operation on the second floor of the building where the hostages were being held.
It was a covert operation with cover, large air cover, precise reconnaissance. When approaching the target – there was a breach into the building, there were armed guards in the neighboring houses, there were three terrorists inside the house guarding the hostages. The troops broke into the building by blowing through the door with an explosive charge as the door was locked. They entered the building, took out two elderly hostages (61 and 70 years old).
A firefight broke out on the spot, extensive aerial fire was used, and fire was opened on them from neighboring buildings.
The air force attacked with great force – many terrorists were killed that night in this operation.
One fighter was lightly wounded in the action, other than that – our troops were not hurt.
The force then ceased contact, and retreated, the 7th Brigade fighters from SHAETET-13 escorted the troops to Namerim.
The entire operation on the ground lasted about an hour from start to finish. They arrived at the nearest airstrip and from there the former hostages traveled to Sheba – where they are now meeting their families.
At the operation headquarters, the Shabak Chief, the Chief of General Staff, the Chief of Police, the Commander of YAMAM, the Head of AMAC, the Head of AMAN, the Commander of the Air Force, all worked side by side during the night. The Defense Minister and the Prime Minister also arrived. The Commander of the Southern Command command commanded the air attacks from his command post in Be’er Sheva, together with the commander of the 98th Division.
The hostages are now meeting their families at Sheba Hospital. It was a night of great tension, but a very moving result.
We still have 134 hostages, and we remember that we will do everything we can to bring them home.
