Operation Golden Hand

Operation Golden Hand ("יד זהב") is an IDF operation in cooperation with the Shin Bet and Yamam for the rescue of two hostages who were kidnapped to Rafah during the Nir Yitzhak attack on 7 October, 2023. The operation for their release commenced on February 12, 2024, at 1:00 AM during the combat in the Gaza Strip in the Iron Swords War, and ended successfully with the hostages being rescued along with a soldier who was lightly injured during the operation.

Operation Golden Hand
Part of the Israel–Hamas war
The rescued hostages getting medical care in an Israeli hospital and meet their families
Date 12 February 2024 (2024-02-12) Location Gaza Strip Result Fernando Simon Marman (60) and Luis Herr (70) two Argentine Israeli civlians were rescued

Background

On the morning of 7 October 2023, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) militant launched a surprise attack on Israel. Thousands of rockets were launched from the Gaza strip and approximately 3,500 militant infiltrated into Israel, where they attacked dozens of Israeli communities, towns and military facilities around the Gaza envelope. The militants committed massacres and rapes, killed 779 civilians, and kidnapped about 253 people to the Gaza Strip, including women, the elderly, and children. Fernando Simon Marman, aged 60, and Luis Herr, aged 70, were kidnapped by Hamas militant to the Gaza Strip from Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak as part of the attack on Nir Yitzhak on October 7, 2023.

The Operation

Yamam, Shin Bet, and Shayetet 13 worked on the operation for an extended period, but until February 12, the conditions in the field did not allow for the execution of the operation.

On the night between Sunday and Monday, on February 12, 2024, during the ground maneuver in Gaza, Yamam forces secretly reached the second floor of the building where the hostages were held in the heart of Rafah. The forces covered each other and received covering fire from the Air Force as well. They arrived at the house holding the hostages while surrounded by armed militaints, both outside the building and near the hostages. The forces stormed the building, breached the locked door using an explosive charge, eliminated three militants guarding the hostages, and rescued the hostages within three seconds from entering the building. The IDF soldiers wrapped the hostages in personal protection and embraced them with their bodies to protect them from the militiants' fire. During the battle, one fighter was lightly injured after having fallen from a high place.

During the rescue, Palestinian militants fired at the fighters, and the forces returned fire. Simultaneously, the Air Force attacked Hamas command centers and control rooms in the area to deprive them of the ability to build a situation picture of the ongoing events.

Afterward, Shin Bet and Yamam fighters evacuated with the hostages with the assistance of Shayetet 13 and the 7th Armored Brigade. The forces extracted the hostages to a helicopter, which transferred the hostages to Israel. The duration of the operation was about an hour.

The operational headquarters that managed the operation included the head of Shin Bet, the Chief of Staff, the Police Commissioner, the commander of Yamam, the head of Military Intelligence, the head of the Operations Directorate, and the commander of the Air Force. Later, the Defense Minister and the Prime Minister joined.

The two hostages were taken for medical examinations at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer, where it was reported that their condition was good.