Trapped in Rafah: IDF Elite Rescues Wounded Collaborators in High-Risk Gaza Mission
The IDF conducted a dramatic helicopter rescue of injured Palestinian collaborators in Rafah, Gaza, after a building collapse during a mission, airlifting them for medical treatment in Israel. The operation reflects Israel’s collaboration with anti-Hamas groups, like Yasser Abu Shabab’s armed faction, to counter the terrorist organization’s control in the region.
It has been revealed that last month the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) executed a high-stakes rescue mission in southern Gaza, airlifting injured Gazan collaborators to safety after a building collapse during an operation in Rafah. The collaborators, tasked by the IDF with searching suspected sites, were wounded when the structure they were inspecting gave way, trapping them under rubble. A rapid response was launched, with an Israeli Air Force UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from the 123rd Squadron, carrying elite fighters from the 669 Search and Rescue Unit and a trauma doctor, dispatched to the scene. The team provided critical on-site medical treatment before evacuating one severely injured collaborator to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, where he continues to receive care.
The operation highlights Israel’s growing reliance on anti-Hamas Gazan factions to counter the terrorist group’s influence, particularly in Rafah, where Hamas’s Tel al-Sultan Battalion has been significantly weakened, with over 2,300 fighters killed since May 2024. Among these factions, the most prominent is the “Popular Forces,” led by Yasser Abu Shabab, a controversial figure previously imprisoned by Hamas for drug trafficking. Operating in eastern Rafah, Abu Shabab’s group, armed with Kalashnikov rifles, some supplied by Israel from captured Hamas stockpiles, has taken on security roles, including guarding humanitarian convoys and searching buildings for militant activity. Despite denials of looting, the group faces accusations of diverting aid, with 98 of 109 UN aid trucks looted in Israeli-controlled areas in November 2024.
Social media posts on X praised the IDF’s swift action, with one user noting, “The IDF’s rescue of Gazans fighting Hamas shows Israel’s commitment to those risking their lives against terror.” The mission underscores the complex dynamics of Israel’s strategy to dismantle Hamas, which has recruited 30,000 new fighters since April 2024, while fostering local opposition, even as it navigates the risks of arming groups like Abu Shabab’s, which some warn could destabilize Gaza further.