Today in History: The Beginning of Operation Entebbe
On this day, the 5th of Tammuz, 43 years ago, planes took off for Operation Entebbe to rescue hostages taken to Uganda.
Photo: Flash 90 / Haim Zach/GPOAt the end of Sivan 5736 (1976), an Air France plane flying from Israel to Paris was hijacked during a layover in Athens, carrying 105 Jewish passengers. The hijackers forced the plane to land in Libya, where additional terrorists joined, and from there, the plane was flown to Entebbe, Uganda.
The hijackers demanded the release of many terrorists in exchange for the hostages, as well as a monetary ransom. Israel engaged in negotiations with the hijackers while simultaneously planning the rescue operation.
On the 5th of Tammuz, planes departed from Israel to Uganda for the operation known as "Thunderbolt," or "Operation Entebbe." Elite units from the Sayeret Matkal and paratroopers arrived with the intention of surprising the hijackers, took control of the terminal where the plane was held, and rescued the hostages.
Three hostages were killed during the exchange of fire, as well as Lt. Col. Yoni Netanyahu. Later, the operation was named after him, "Operation Yonatan."
