Dramatic first-person video shows elite Israeli unit rescuing hostages in Gaza

A dramatic new video released Monday shows elite counter-terrorism officers braving gunfire and explosions to rescue three hostages from a Hamas compound.

Harrowing first-person footage recorded by the Yamam unit on Saturday opens with the officers navigating through trees as they approach one the buildings holding hostages Almog Meir Jan, 21, Andri Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41.

Volleys of gunfire could be erupting from the compound as the Israeli forces fire back, with commandos blasting open a door to enter inside the house.

Screams and yells could be heard around the house, which Israel later said belonged to Gaza journalist Abdallah Aljamal — who was holding the three hostages inside his family home.

As they make their way inside the home, the officers come into contact with the hostages, who identify themselves while cowering in a corner of a room amid the intense gun battle outside.

An explosion could be heard near the wall, interrupting Jan and Kozlov as they spoke and causing them to flinch. 

The police forces could be seen directing the men away from the wall, with one of the officers offering Kozlov a fist bump to calm him down and assure him that they’ll be brought back to Israel. 

The video then cuts to the officers rushing the men out of the building while intense, nonstop gunfire rang out.   

Saturday’s daring rescue was conducted by Yamam officers along with the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet intelligence agents. 

Following the operation, the IDF said that the three men were being held in Aljamal’s family home. He was killed during the rescue mission. 

Aljamal, who also worked as a spokesman for the Hamas-run labor ministry, was a regular contributor to the US-based Palestine Chronicle, a nonprofit news outlet. 

After the Israeli police published the footage of the rescue, the IDF released its own follow-up video showing the rescued men safely inside an Israeli chopper as they arrived in Israel. 

The men were all reunited with their families inside a hospital in Tel Aviv. 

The rescue team also saved Noa Argamani, the 26-year-old Israeli woman who became the terrified face of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on the Jewish state.  

Israel has touted the rescue mission as a success while also estimating that there were “under 100” casualties as a result of the raid.

However, the Hamas-run ministry of health said that 274 were killed, including civilians.

Both Israeli and American officials have blamed the casualties on Hamas’ tactic of holding hostages and storing munitions in civilian spaces.