What Really Happened in Khan Younis [Israeli Soldier's Story]

As heard by Harvey Tannenbaum from Guy, Segev's. Very definitely not the version we're hearing from the foreign media. Forwarded by Judy Balint, Jerusalem. Harvey Tannenbaum, who transcribed description, lives in Efrat.

Armed Palestinians march with body of at the Khan Younis refugee camp in the South of the Gaza strip.

KHAN YUNIS, Gaza Strip, Rosh Chodesh Marcheshvan Oct. 7,02 9 AM -- Dear Abba and Ima (Mom and Dad),

I am back at the base after an all nighter in Gaza here. We received our orders yesterday after dinner that our groups will be going into the Khan Yunis area and the specific terrorist camp of El Amar. The Hamas and Fatah have been teaming up from this camp of El Amar for weeks to shoot the Kassam missiles and the mortars at Neve Dekalim and Kfar Darom. We were told to rest a few hours and then prepare for our movements during the night.

Eli and I organized a late Maariv for Rosh Chodesh and both secular and of course the observant soldiers gathered for Maariv (evening prayers). We were already dressed in our battle fatigues with most of our faces painted out. I had never seen such an enthusiastic Maariv,rushed,but we were ready to go. We began to run along side our tanks,jeeps,and half tracks.

Overhead we knew that we had helicopter cover for our mission. We had been told that IDF had not gone into this El Amar area in the past two years. Since last night's direct hit by a Kassam missile onto a house,we were told by our commander that we were going into search and destroy,both terrorists and their weapons,missiles,and rockets.

At about 2 AM, we surrounded this camp which was empty of people. We began to go room to room and house to house. We encountered small arms fire and hand grenades as we began to fire in response. We found the first area of missiles and Kassam rockets already in position to be fired towards the neighboring areas of Neve Dekalim and Kfar Darom. I fired my gun at the terrorist who was 'handling' the rocket launcher. He smiled as he dropped and went to hell.

Our comrades from the other units had been chasing armed terrorists who were running towards the mosque in El Amar. At 3 AM we knew that prayer time was over for now. Eli called me on the two way radio to tell me that there were a dozen or so terrorists running towards our area. We called for air cover and as the helicopters hovered above us as we continued to destroy the rockets and capture terrorists, the helicopters of the IAF let loose three missiles,to say goodbye to the dozen or so terrorists who received the direct 3 AM missiles.

We began to regroup and we knew that we had destroyed lots of equipment and weapons. Suddenly another 40-50 terrorists started to run from the mosque towards Eli's division of Sayeret and Duvdevan units. We began to fire and the helicopters began more missile releases. We knew that we had hit hard and damaged much of the weapons and missiles. There were lots of injuries as we began to head towards our base. We of the IDF were proud as all of us returned safely and without injuries.

Well, Ima and Abba, I am back,our units killed 11 or so terrorists,wounded lots more of terrorists,and Neve Dekalim is quiet this morning. I am late for tefilah, but I know I can still catch a "Hallel" and thank G-d for last night's protection over me and all the soldiers as we do avodat Hashem (God's work) to protect Jews here.

LAST SUMMER ITAMAR'S OCCUPIER SHABO FAMILY WAS DESTROYED BY "OPPRESSED" ARAB NEIGHBORS
(from above right)- Rachel [killed], Avishai [killed], Boaz, Meir, Yariv (bottom)- Avia [wounded], Tzvika [killed], Asael [wounded], Neria [killed], Atara

Thanks for the post. It was a place they had to go.

Gaza Divisional Commander: "The Amal neighborhood in Khan Yunis is a hotbed of Hamas terrorist activities."

As part of the I.D.F.'s war on terrorism, I.D.F. forces operated last night (October 6, 2002) in the Amal neighborhood of the city of Khan Yunis, which is a terrorist stronghold for the Hamas movement.

Gaza Divisional Brigadier General Israel Ziv, when discussing the I.D.F. operation said, "The objective of this operation was to penetrate the terrorist stronghold in the area, and arrest men on our wanted list, while searching some of the sites from which, we were informed, terrorist activities have been carried out."

Archive Photo: Means of warfare
captured during IDF operations

"The objective of this operation was not random," the Brigadier General further emphasized. "The Amal neighborhood is a very significant terrorist stronghold for the Hamas movement." He also added that most of the mortar attacks on the Gush Katif area were launched from this neighborhood as well as, in recent weeks and months, attempts to infiltrate nearby Israeli settlements.

According to the Brigadier General, the I.D.F. encountered resistance, mainly in the form of ground fire and detonation of high explosive hand grenades. In addition, there was anti-tank and R.P.G. fire directed against our forces. Most of the people killed, in his estimation, were armed militants and not civilians. "Our fire was entirely directed against armed militants."

The Gaza Divisional Commander summed up by saying: "As long as terrorism continues, we have no choice but to act and to penetrate any place where terrorism exists. There is no other alternative."

At the end of its activities, the I.D.F. forces pulled out of the city of Khan Yunis.

In addition, three mortars were fired this morning (October 7, 2002) at an Israeli settlement, in the Gush Katif area in the southern Gaza Strip. I.D.F. forces returned fire; no one was hurt and no damage was caused.

At the same time, in the ongoing I.D.F. activities to thwart terror in the Judea and Samaria areas, sixteen men on the I.D.F.'s wanted list were arrested.

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