The recovery of the bodies of five hostages from Gaza on Thursday was based on intelligence taken from interrogations of terrorists, Yossi Amrosi, a former senior Shin Bet officer, told Maariv on Friday morning.
During the operation, the bodies of three civilians and two soldiers who were taken hostage on October 7 were recovered from Khan Yunis.
Amrosi said that “this was an operation that arose from intelligence deriving from Shin Bet investigations, carried out by investigators at detention facilities. In this war, there are a high number of detainees, and for the Shin Bet, it’s like an intelligence treasure trove.”
He explained that Shin Bet translated the intelligence “very quickly” into “high-quality intelligence that would help the IDF soldiers in the field.” He claimed the interrogations by the investigators led to the precise location of the five bodies.
“There is no doubt that these interrogations bring high-quality data,” he says, adding that seven hostages have been rescued alive as a result, referring to the separate rescues on 8 June, 12 Feb, and 30 Oct.
Speaking on the role of the interrogators, Amrosi said: “Terrorists who two days ago were fighting you in the field and are now suddenly brought to the facilities, and the interrogators must use many methods and tricks to make them speak. It is very satisfying. You are an investigator of a Gazan terrorist, so of course, the first thing you will ask him is what he knows about the hostages.”
Amrosi claimed that “Hamas gets ‘hit’ by the IDF and the Shin Bet every day” and that he believed “military pressure is beneficial.”
As examples, he said “We conquered Rafah, we control the Philadelphi Route, we constantly locate tunnels to Egypt.”
Amrosi noted that “the moment the IDF told the population to leave that area [Khan Yunis], everyone left, including the terrorists, leaving the bodies unattended. Therefore, I strongly believe that the IDF is determined.”
“We will continue the work and will not give up until we reach all the hostages, both the living and the dead,” he promised.
‘Mission of our lives’
Separately, on their Instagram page, Shabak posted extra details about the operation. B, a Shin Bet officer who took part in the operation said “It is hard to describe in words how it feels to be part of such an operation.”
He spoke of the multiple parties involved in obtaining such a precise location: “investigators, coordinators, field agents and operators, desk officers, producers, intelligence personnel, IDF forces, and others.
“The sense of responsibility, the gravity of the moment, the understanding of the mission’s importance—all of it converges into one moment where you realize you are in the right place,” they continued.
“Returning the hostages, the fallen, and the living—this is the mission of our lives.”
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