An intriguing Israeli report reveals details of failed rescue operations for prisoners in Gaza.

The Israeli newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth" revealed new details about a series of failed prisoner rescue operations carried out by the occupying army over the past two years in the Gaza Strip.

The newspaper acknowledged that there were failures that led to the deaths of several prisoners, including Saar Baruch, who was killed during a failed attempt to free him in the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

The newspaper stated that the army's operations and plans were largely unsuccessful, despite its success in rescuing prisoners such as Ori Majidish and the "Arnon" operation during which Noa Arghamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrei Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv were released.

It added that some families opposed the execution of certain operations, believing that their children would be released in later exchange deals, and that risking their lives was unnecessary.

Nevertheless, the army decided to carry out some operations despite the warnings, resulting in casualties among both soldiers and prisoners.

The newspaper pointed out that one of the most notable failures was the attempt to rescue prisoner Saar Baruch in December 2023.

A special force from the reconnaissance unit of the occupying forces infiltrated a building in Khan Younis where Baruch was being held and planted a small explosive device to blow up the entrance.

However, Palestinian resistance fighters at the location quickly responded by throwing successive hand grenades, which led to the injury of several occupying soldiers and confused the force that entered into a violent clash.

During the exchange of fire, Baruch was killed, while the resistance fighters managed to withdraw carrying his body.

"Yedioth" quoted a security source as saying that the operation was marred by several intelligence errors, and that the information available about the location of the prisoners was not accurate enough, which made the chances of success almost nonexistent from the start.

The newspaper mentioned that the army planned in the first weeks after the "October 7" operation for other rescue operations, including one to free children and a woman who were held in Gaza, but the high military command canceled it just minutes before execution.

The decision was attributed to the possibility of their release in an anticipated exchange deal, and to the high risks that could threaten their lives in case of a failed incursion.

It clarified that the operations command center, established after the outbreak of the war and headed by retired officer Nitzan Alon, was responsible for reviewing intelligence information and making the final decision regarding execution or cancellation.

It added that the political leadership exerted pressure on the army to act quickly and achieve field accomplishments, but some field commanders preferred to wait to verify information and reduce risks to the prisoners.

The report indicated that some prisoners were killed during the Israeli airstrikes on the tunnels where resistance groups were fortified.

Among them was soldier Tamer Nimrodi, who was captured from the "Erez" base on October 7 and was later killed in a strike in northern Gaza, along with several other prisoners who died "by mistake," according to the security source's description.

The report concluded by noting that the failures in locating the prisoners and the fluctuating field conditions made the success of any rescue operation "dependent on chance," and that some decisions made at the last moment prevented additional disasters, while other decisions led to tragic outcomes that the Israeli security establishment continues to face the repercussions of.