Almost eight months since that painful night in Khan Yunis, the Israel Defense Forces has released the results of its first investigation into the failure of the secret mission of an elite unit whose members were discovered by Hamas fighters. Even now, many details of the preparations for the operation remain under wraps. But the army’s version now allows for a better understanding of the events of that night, which ended with the death of a decorated officer (Lt. Col. M., whose full name and identity is still classified), the wounding of a soldier and the killing of seven Hamas men.

These investigations also reveal breathtaking drama. If not for the resourcefulness of the soldiers in the field and their commanders, the night could have ended in a colossal catastrophe. The description of the events will rightly generate amazement at the courage of the soldiers operating deep in enemy territory and the ability to extract them once they were discovered.

Read the full article at Haaretz.