“After about two minutes, the movement became faster in one direction. I zoomed out and immediately saw four or five terrorists.”
By The IDF Club
On Saturday, IDF combat teams from the Nahal Brigade operating in eastern Rafah completed a 24-hour manhunt that resulted in the killing and capture of 17 terrorists attempting to flee from the underground terror network. In total, 11 terrorists were killed, and six were captured and transferred for further Shin Bet investigation.
IDF forces under Southern Command remain deployed across the area in accordance with the ceasefire and continue operations to neutralize threats, destroy terror infrastructure, and protect civilians.
The initial detection of the fleeing terrorists came from a field observer in the Nilos Operations Center, who was among the first to spot the terrorists exiting the tunnel on Friday.
“I was on duty doing my job,” the observer said to Israel’s Channel 12. “At 6:30 a.m., I moved to a position guided by intuition and noticed a small movement behind the rubble. It seemed very unusual because I knew something was there. It was just a small black spot. I stayed on the point for about two minutes and saw it moving up and down constantly. I knew for certain it was a person.”
She continued, “After about two minutes, the movement became faster in one direction. I zoomed out and immediately saw four or five terrorists. I called in forces to close the circle. It was like a movie. I watched them running between the rubble. At one point I lost sight of them, but the troops reached the area. From what I heard, they neutralized six terrorists thanks to my initial observation.”
She added, “That was just the first identification. I thought the event was over, but I had to make sure the entire area was secure. Everything seemed clear, but my gut told me it wasn’t finished. On the other side, I saw three more terrorists running in a direction, and I called in forces again to close the circle. It was an incredible experience — just a gut feeling that proved right.”
The observer concluded, “I want the country to know the troops were exceptional. They reacted instantly and executed the operation flawlessly. Their courage, professionalism, and quick thinking protected Israeli lives and upheld our national security. The families of the soldiers can be proud. Our work here is critical — we are defending our state, our citizens, and our people.”
