IDF's Flotilla 13 Elite Unit Rescues 250 Israeli Hostages, 'Neutralizes' 60 Hamas Terrorists

By Ward Clark | 9:02 PM on October 12, 2023

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Today the Israel Defense Forces released a helmet-cam video of a daring rescue that took place on Oct. 7 during the Hamas terror attack, where the elite Shayetet (Flotilla) 13 unit moved on the Sufa military post near the Gaza security fence. There the team reportedly rescued 250 hostages, "neutralized" (presumably killed) 60 Hamas terrorists, and captured 26 more. The video released shows one capture and what appears to be the hostage rescue.

The Flotilla 13 elite unit was deployed to the area surrounding the Gaza security fence in a joint effort to regain control of the Sufa military post on October 7th.

The soldiers rescued around 250 hostages alive.

60+ Hamas terrorists were neutralized and 26 were… pic.twitter.com/DWdHKZgdLw
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 12, 2023

The rest of the tweet reads:

60+ Hamas terrorists were neutralized and 26 were apprehended—including Muhammad Abu A'ali the Deputy Commander of the Hamas southern Naval Division.

The video shows clearly what appear to be elite troops, well-armed, well-equipped, and well-coordinated, which is in keeping with the Shayetet 13 unit. They are using what looks like American M-4 carbines with suppressors. One team member, at about 26 seconds in, is also carrying what looks like a LAWS anti-armor rocket launcher. At 30 seconds, you can see another team member apparently hauling a Hamas captive away from the scene. The hostage rescue, what can be seen of it, begins at about 50 seconds.

This is a team that went in loaded for bear, with a defined objective and presumably some good intelligence and preparation, and they got the job done.

Shayetet 13 is an elite unit of the Israeli Navy. They are primarily a reconnaissance unit, similar in composition and training to the U.S. Navy Seal teams. The Shayetet units are typically tasked with sea-to-land assaults and incursions, counter-terrorism, intelligence gathering, and hostage rescue. Prior to this conflict, the Shayetet 13 commandos were known to have carried out attacks against Iranian cargo ships during the 2019-2021 Persian Gulf tensions, during which they damaged several ships by swimming under and attaching limpet mines to the ships' hulls. They are also believed to have been involved in damaging the MV Savis, an Iranian intelligence ship, in 2021.

Shayetet 13, according to a press release from the Israel Defense Forces last Sunday (Oct 8) are also responsible for the capture of a senior Hamas commander:

The Israel Defense Forces said Sunday evening that the Navy’s elite Shayetet 13 commando unit had taken into custody a senior member of the Hamas terror group, as fighting in southern Israel continued more than 40 hours after the unprecedented infiltration assault.
The IDF said the deputy commander of the southern division of the Hamas naval force, Muhammad Abu Ghali, was captured by Shayetet 13.

The position of the Israeli government from the beginning of this conflict has been that the gloves are off, and the employment of some of the IDF's most elite combat units certainly bears that assessment out. Facing the possibility of a two-front war will make the employment of special units all the more critical in Israel's current fight for survival.

Read more RedState coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict at the links below: