Israeli Troops Uncover Weapons and Tunnels in Gaza Strip Mission
Itai Engel and photographer Gil Somech recently accompanied reserve fighters of the Negev Brigade Patrol as they entered Beit Hanon, the northernmost city in the Gaza Strip. These fighters, who have known each other for over a decade, were already in Gaza as part of Operation Protective Edge. Major Yair Alkalai, the commander of the patrol, was one of the few soldiers who was inside the tunnels during a previous operation, Tzuk Eitan, where he and several other soldiers attempted to rescue comrades who were killed or kidnapped by Hamas.
During their recent mission in Beit Hanon, the soldiers were tasked with clearing a territory that the IDF had not yet reached, which included a compound with a school and a mosque known to store weapons and have connections to a system of tunnels. The mission was interrupted by reports of shooting and ultimately resulted in the loss of Major Raz Abulafia, a 27-year-old fighter from the Negev Brigade.
In just one day, the Negev Brigade uncovered large quantities of explosives, vests, grenades, machine guns, guns, and intelligence material, as well as a long-range rocket launcher and tunnel shafts in the area.
The full article covering the soldiers’ mission will be broadcast on “Ovda” this evening, revealing the dangers they faced and the significant discoveries they made.