Newly released details shed light on the intelligence-led mission that brought the bodies of Gadi and Judi Haggai back from Khan Yunis.
Further details have emerged regarding the operation that led to the recovery of the bodies of Gadi Haggai and Judi Weinstein Haggai, whose remains were brought back to Israel following a complex mission in Khan Yunis.
The recovery operation was the result of an extensive and sustained intelligence effort spearheaded by the Hostage Task Force and the Intelligence Directorate. This effort, which began at the onset of the war, intensified in the past month with focused efforts to trace signs of hostages, both living and deceased.
The Hostage Task Force’s mandate includes the systematic collection and analysis of intelligence and continuous monitoring of movements in the field. Utilizing a wide array of intelligence sensors and advanced research capabilities, the task force works to pinpoint the location of hostages.
Precise intelligence and the maturation of operational planning led to the establishment of the necessary conditions for a sensitive operation deep within Khan Yunis. The intelligence gathered facilitated the meticulous planning of a covert mission, which was executed with the aim of preserving the safety of other hostages and succeeded in recovering the bodies of the two Israelis.
In the lead-up to the mission, forces from the 98th Division operated in the area to prepare the ground. The 7th and 89th Brigade Combat Teams carried out operational flanking maneuvers that enabled access to the recovery site. The mission was conducted under the joint command of the Southern Command and the Intelligence Directorate, managed from a joint operations center comprising the 98th Division and Military Intelligence.
This operation formed part of the broader campaign under Operation “Gideon’s Chariots,” in which forces are working to dismantle Hamas terror infrastructure, eliminate threats, and bring hostages home.
