Misgav Am hostage crisis
Encyclopedia
The Misgav Am hostage crisis, which began during the night of April 7, 1980, was a raid carried out by a squad of five Palestinian militants, belonging to the Iraqi-backed Arab Liberation Front
militant organization, on the northern Israeli kibbutz
of Misgav Am
in which the militants captured a group of toddlers and babies the children's dormitory
of the kibbutz and held them as hostages. The event ended the next day with the takeover of the terrorist stronghold by Israeli special forces.
During the incident three Israelis were murdered – a two-year-old toddler, a 38-year-old kibbutz member and an Israeli soldier. Four other children, a kibbutz member and 11 Israeli soldiers were injured during the attack.
militant organization, armed with AK-47
assault rifles and hand grenades, cut the border fence between Israel and Lebanon at around 01:00 am. The squad then crossed the border and managed to sneak with no problem into Kibbutz Misgav Am
located in northern Israel. Upon reaching the center of the kibbutz undetected, the squad arrived at the children's dormitory of the kibbutz which continued many children aged 1½ to 3 supervised by some of their parents.
At the entrance to the dormitory, the militant squad encountered the kibbutz secretary Sammy (Samuel) Shani, who happened to be at the site repairing the building's light fixtures. With only a screwdriver in his hand, he attempt to block the entrance to the dormitory, but was shot to death by the militants.
Then the militants entered the building and killed the two-year-old Eyal Gluska and then snatched two babies from their cribs (one of them was Sammy Shani's 2-months-old son). The militants ran up to the second floor together with the two babies they snatched. They barricaded themselves in the second floor, which at that time had five other toddlers and an adult named Meir Peretz whom was supervising the children. Kibbutz members managed to rescue several women and children from the building during the raid.
At about 02:30 am Israeli military forces surrounded the dormitory building and began to negotiate with the militants.
failed. During that attempt the 19-year-old IDF medic and combat soldier Eldad Tsafrir was killed by the militants. Tsafrir's body remained lying in the entrance to the building as no one was capable of evacuating it.
After the first rescue attempt, the militants began using loudspeaker
s to declare their ransom demands. They read the names of the prisoners they want released from Israeli prisons, they demanded a plane
to fly them out of the country, and also asked that the Romanian ambassador be involved in the negotiations.
After lengthy negotiations, at around 10:00 pm of April 8th, a special force of Sayeret Matkal
under the command of Major General Uzi Dayan
, broke into the dormitory through several openings in the structure during an attack which lasted only two minutes. During this takeover the soldiers were able to eliminate all the militants and release all hostages. Six of the Sayeret Matkal soldiers were injured during the takeover. During the second rescue attempt, one of the militants shot Meir Peretz, which at this point was tied up and lying on the floor, at his legs, and then blew himself up using a hand grenade
.
Fatalities among Israeli military forces that responded to the attacks
, the Iraqi-backed Arab Liberation Front
, a radical guerrilla group within the PLO, claimed responsibility for the attack and stated the that action was carried out with the aim of releasing 50 Palestinians prisoners from Israeli prisons.
and about 40 kilometers north of the Israeli border). IDF spokesman stated that the base was used as a supply center and staging base for terrorist raids in Israel. Six guerrillas were killed during the operation.
Arab Liberation Front
Arab Liberation Front is a minor Palestinian political faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , politically tied to the Iraqi Ba'ath Party formerly headed by Saddam Hussein.- Historical background :...
militant organization, on the northern Israeli kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
of Misgav Am
Misgav Am
Misgav Am is a kibbutz in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel. Located close to the border with Lebanon near the town of Kiryat Shmona, it falls under the jurisdiction of Upper Galilee Regional Council....
in which the militants captured a group of toddlers and babies the children's dormitory
Dormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
of the kibbutz and held them as hostages. The event ended the next day with the takeover of the terrorist stronghold by Israeli special forces.
During the incident three Israelis were murdered – a two-year-old toddler, a 38-year-old kibbutz member and an Israeli soldier. Four other children, a kibbutz member and 11 Israeli soldiers were injured during the attack.
Details of the attack
During the night of Monday, 7 April 1980, a squad of five Palestinian militants, belonging to the Iraqi-backed Arab Liberation FrontArab Liberation Front
Arab Liberation Front is a minor Palestinian political faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , politically tied to the Iraqi Ba'ath Party formerly headed by Saddam Hussein.- Historical background :...
militant organization, armed with AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
assault rifles and hand grenades, cut the border fence between Israel and Lebanon at around 01:00 am. The squad then crossed the border and managed to sneak with no problem into Kibbutz Misgav Am
Misgav Am
Misgav Am is a kibbutz in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel. Located close to the border with Lebanon near the town of Kiryat Shmona, it falls under the jurisdiction of Upper Galilee Regional Council....
located in northern Israel. Upon reaching the center of the kibbutz undetected, the squad arrived at the children's dormitory of the kibbutz which continued many children aged 1½ to 3 supervised by some of their parents.
At the entrance to the dormitory, the militant squad encountered the kibbutz secretary Sammy (Samuel) Shani, who happened to be at the site repairing the building's light fixtures. With only a screwdriver in his hand, he attempt to block the entrance to the dormitory, but was shot to death by the militants.
Then the militants entered the building and killed the two-year-old Eyal Gluska and then snatched two babies from their cribs (one of them was Sammy Shani's 2-months-old son). The militants ran up to the second floor together with the two babies they snatched. They barricaded themselves in the second floor, which at that time had five other toddlers and an adult named Meir Peretz whom was supervising the children. Kibbutz members managed to rescue several women and children from the building during the raid.
At about 02:30 am Israeli military forces surrounded the dormitory building and began to negotiate with the militants.
Takeover operation
In all, two rescue attempts were made. The first rescue attempt was carried out by a special force of the Golani BrigadeGolani Brigade
The Golani Brigade is an Israeli infantry brigade that is subordinated to the 36th Division and traditionally associated with the Northern Command. Its symbol is a green tree on a yellow background, and its soldiers wear a brown beret. It is one of the most highly decorated infantry units in the...
failed. During that attempt the 19-year-old IDF medic and combat soldier Eldad Tsafrir was killed by the militants. Tsafrir's body remained lying in the entrance to the building as no one was capable of evacuating it.
After the first rescue attempt, the militants began using loudspeaker
Loudspeaker
A loudspeaker is an electroacoustic transducer that produces sound in response to an electrical audio signal input. Non-electrical loudspeakers were developed as accessories to telephone systems, but electronic amplification by vacuum tube made loudspeakers more generally useful...
s to declare their ransom demands. They read the names of the prisoners they want released from Israeli prisons, they demanded a plane
Plane
-Physical objects:* Aeroplane or airplane, a fixed-wing aircraft* Plane , a woodworking tool to smooth surfaces* Platanus, a genus of trees with the common name "plane"* Acer pseudoplatanus, a tree species sometimes called "plane"...
to fly them out of the country, and also asked that the Romanian ambassador be involved in the negotiations.
After lengthy negotiations, at around 10:00 pm of April 8th, a special force of Sayeret Matkal
Sayeret Matkal
Sayeret Matkal is a special forces unit of the Israel Defence Forces , which is subordinated to the intelligence directorate Aman. First and foremost a field intelligence-gathering unit, conducting deep reconnaissance behind enemy lines to obtain strategic intelligence, Sayeret Matkal is also...
under the command of Major General Uzi Dayan
Uzi Dayan
Uzi Dayan is an Aluf in the Israel Defense Forces and an Israeli politician. He is the nephew of General Moshe Dayan.-Early life and career:...
, broke into the dormitory through several openings in the structure during an attack which lasted only two minutes. During this takeover the soldiers were able to eliminate all the militants and release all hostages. Six of the Sayeret Matkal soldiers were injured during the takeover. During the second rescue attempt, one of the militants shot Meir Peretz, which at this point was tied up and lying on the floor, at his legs, and then blew himself up using a hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
.
Victims
Israeli civilian fatalities- Eyal Gluska, 2, of Misgav AmMisgav AmMisgav Am is a kibbutz in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel. Located close to the border with Lebanon near the town of Kiryat Shmona, it falls under the jurisdiction of Upper Galilee Regional Council....
- Sammy (Samuel) Shani, 36, of Misgav AmMisgav AmMisgav Am is a kibbutz in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel. Located close to the border with Lebanon near the town of Kiryat Shmona, it falls under the jurisdiction of Upper Galilee Regional Council....
Fatalities among Israeli military forces that responded to the attacks
- Sgt. Eldad Tsafrir, 19, of Tel AvivTel AvivTel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
The perpetrators
After the attack, in an announcement in BeirutBeirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, the Iraqi-backed Arab Liberation Front
Arab Liberation Front
Arab Liberation Front is a minor Palestinian political faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization , politically tied to the Iraqi Ba'ath Party formerly headed by Saddam Hussein.- Historical background :...
, a radical guerrilla group within the PLO, claimed responsibility for the attack and stated the that action was carried out with the aim of releasing 50 Palestinians prisoners from Israeli prisons.
Israeli retaliation
Following the attack Israel carried out Operation High Voltage (מבצע מתח גבוה) on April 17, 1980 in which seaborne Israeli troops raided and destroyed the Ras el-Sheikh Palestinian guerrilla bas in southern Lebanon (20 kilometers north of TyreTyre
Tyre is a city in the South Governorate of Lebanon. There were approximately 117,000 inhabitants in 2003, however, the government of Lebanon has released only rough estimates of population numbers since 1932, so an accurate statistical accounting is not possible...
and about 40 kilometers north of the Israeli border). IDF spokesman stated that the base was used as a supply center and staging base for terrorist raids in Israel. Six guerrillas were killed during the operation.
External links
- Palestinians seize hostages in Israel - published on The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
on April 7, 1980 - Nursery seize hostages in Israel - published on the Beaver Country Times on April 7, 1980
- Raid on Israel settlement - published on the Chicago TribuneChicago TribuneThe Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
on April 7, 1980 - Israelis Storm Babies' Dorm, Kill Palestinians - published on the Spencer Daily Reporter on April 7, 1980