Dov Lieber
TEL AVIV—The Israeli commandos who rescued four hostages in Gaza drove a pair of battered white trucks—one displaying a soap advertisement, the other bearing a mattress and furniture on the roof. They were armed, but their main weapon was disguise, blending into a Hamas stronghold until the guns started firing.
The early June rescue mission has become the most prominent example of Israel’s famous undercover units on the battlefield in the Gaza Strip, a dangerous foray into a territory that its covert forces once found nearly impenetrable. Subterfuge is a skill set that Israel’s security services have honed for decades in the West Bank, with operatives known as “mista’arvim”—a Hebrew moniker borrowed from an Arabic term for people steeped in Arab culture.
Now, the covert unit’s presence in Gaza adds a volatile new element to the war zone, where a blown cover could be disastrous and civilian disguises sometimes constitute a war crime.
Hamas fighters are also operating in civilian garb in Gaza.
No comments:
Post a Comment