By Smartencyclopedia with agencies

In a tragic turn of events, an elite Israeli special operations unit, known as the Shaldag Unit, faced heavy casualties at the outset of the ongoing conflict with Hamas, marking a significant chapter in the ongoing hostilities. As Israel continues its battle against the militant group, these reports shed light on the challenges faced by the commandos and the sacrifices made by their members.

According to the commander of the Israeli Air Force’s elite Shaldag Unit, identified as Lt. Col. “B,” the unit’s deployment at Kibbutz Be’eri on a fateful Saturday morning proved to be a harrowing experience. Arriving at around 8:30 a.m. by helicopter, the commandos encountered heavy gunfire upon landing.

The situation swiftly turned dire as the commandos confronted a significant number of Hamas gunmen within the compound. Several members of the Shaldag Unit were killed or wounded almost immediately, including the commander’s top deputy. In total, five Shaldag members were reported killed, and 15 were wounded during their battle with Hamas fighters at Be’eri and other locations near the Gaza Strip.

“I have seen the catastrophe with my own eyes,” stated the commander, emphasizing the immense courage and commitment of the soldiers involved in the conflict.

Tragically, this incident followed what has been widely characterized as a major intelligence failure, which allowed Hamas to launch thousands of rockets and send hundreds of gunmen into Israeli territory. The consequences of this lapse in intelligence were deeply felt by Shaldag and other elite commando units.

Beyond Shaldag, other special operations forces experienced casualties in their efforts to repel Hamas from southern Israel. Sayeret Matkal, one of Israel’s most renowned special operations units, reported the loss of 11 members in action. This unit holds significant historical importance, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a former commander, and his brother was tragically killed while leading the Entebbe Raid in 1976.

The Rafaim “Ghost Unit” also endured losses, including the unit commander.

A civilian survivor of the Be’eri incident, Dani Fux, provided a chilling account of the situation. He revealed that approximately 90 gunmen entered the compound near the Gaza Strip at around 7 a.m., with Shaldag operators arriving about two hours later. The rapid erosion of the force left them in a perilous situation, with the terrorists carrying out abductions and killings. The kidnapped individuals include the parents and eight other relatives of Yotam Kipnis, a resident of the kibbutz.

The Shaldag squad’s movements following their confrontation with Hamas gunmen at Be’eri remain unclear. However, it was confirmed that the unit commander was en route to another kibbutz at Re’im by 9:30 a.m. On this relentless day, the entire unit arrived, including the training party and reservists.

By 2 a.m. on Sunday, over 200 special operations forces were actively engaged in the conflict against Hamas, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.

The unit commander, Lt. Col. “B,” recounted that at Re’im, approximately three miles from Be’eri, they rescued the wounded and continued to battle the terrorists. The confrontation at Be’eri eventually concluded after a grueling five-hour battle, resulting in the deaths of over 20 Hamas gunmen and the tragic loss of more than 100 kibbutz residents, approximately 12% of the population.

The IDF reported the discovery of about 1,500 bodies of Hamas fighters across southern Israel following the conclusion of fighting around the Gaza Strip. These fallen individuals were placed in white body bags, marked with the word “terrorist” in red spray paint—a poignant reminder of the human toll that such conflicts exact.

The devastating incident at Kibbutz Be’eri serves as a somber reminder of the high stakes and sacrifices made by both the military and civilian populations during this protracted conflict.