
Operation Entebbe — 1976
The photo shows the kidnapped upon their return to their country.
One of the most famous and remarkable operations in Israeli history took place on July 4, 1976.
An Air France passenger plane was hijacked by terrorists and forced to land at Entebbe Airport in Uganda. The hijackers held more than 100 passengers hostage inside the airport's old terminal.
Israel decided to launch a rescue operation nearly 4,000 kilometers from Israel. A force consisting of members of Sayeret Matkal, the Paratroopers Brigade, Golani Brigade, and other units secretly flew to Uganda.
The Israeli forces arrived at the airport during the night, surprised the guards, eliminated the hijackers, and rescued most of the hostages. The entire operation lasted less than two hours.
The operation came at a heavy cost. Lieutenant Colonel Yonatan "Yoni" Netanyahu, the commander of the ground assault, was killed during the rescue. Three hostages were also killed, while another hostage, Dora Bloch, who had been taken to a hospital in Entebbe, did not survive.
The operation became one of the most famous symbols of Israel's military capabilities and is still regarded as one of the most daring hostage-rescue operations in modern history.