8 Air Force solders receive citation for rescuing special forces team from Gaza

Eight soldiers from the Israeli Air Force receive official commendation for their role in Operation Tropical Fruit, a rescue mission to evacuate a team of special forces during a firefight with the Hamas terror group following a failed raid in the Gaza city of Khan Younis.

On the night of November 11, 2018, the Israeli special forces troops entered Khan Younis on an intelligence-gathering operation, some details of which remain classified.

During the mission, the soldiers were stopped and questioned by Hamas operatives. As the Hamas members became more suspicious one of the Israeli officers opened fire, killing several Hamas members but also inadvertently hitting one of the IDF officers fatally and another soldier who was moderately injured.

The Israeli Air Force’s elite heli-borne Unit 669, which specializes in search and rescue, flew into the Gaza Strip to bring out the soldiers, with assistance from fighter jets and attack helicopters.

In order to ensure that all of the IDF soldiers were on board, the helicopter’s pilot refused to take off until all of the troops were counted and accounted for, despite the growing risk that the aircraft could come under direct attack.

This decision by the pilot and the flight team is cited as one of the primary reasons for these citations of merit, which are presented by Israeli Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin.

Earlier in the day, IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi also awarded the officer killed in the raid — Lt. Col. “Mem” — with a citation of merit. Later today, additional awards will be presented to soldiers from the Intelligence

Directorate for their efforts during the initial raid and rescue operation.

— Judah Ari Gross