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Last update - 16:13 03/03/2009
Which IDF unit captured more prisoners in Gaza and why?
By Amos Harel
Tags: israel news, hamas, Gaza, IDF

Separate Israel Defense Forces units took vastly different numbers of Palestinian prisoners during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, internal IDF inquiries reveal.

Yet in the end, the army captured fewer than 200 Palestinians, most of whom were freed immediately after their preliminary interrogations in the field. Fewer than 30 Gazans, mostly Hamas members, were transferred to prisons in Israel for further investigation by the Shin Bet security service.

The Paratroops Brigade, which fought in the northwest part of the Gaza Strip, took 128 Palestinians prisoner during the hostilities. The Golani infantry brigade, which operated in the northeast sector of Gaza City as well as its Sajaiyeh quarter and the Jabalya refugee camp, arrested only 15 prisoners throughout the entire operation - or by some counts, even fewer: Since some of the prisoners were released almost immediately after being arrested, there is uncertainty about the final number.
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Before the start of the operation, the IDF made preparations to accommodate thousands of Palestinian prisoners, including establishing camps for the captives on the Gaza border and even a new prison facility on a base in the south.

The low number of prisoners seems to reflect the way Hamas fought. Most Hamas members preferred to retreat when the IDF moved into Gaza City and hide in neighborhoods where the IDF was not operating. Most of those who nevertheless decided to seek a fight with the IDF were killed or wounded.

However, another explanation is related to the IDF's combat methods, which involved very heavy firepower.

A senior officer in the IDF's Southern Command said that "the differences in the numbers of prisoners stem from the differences between the sectors. The paratroopers waged a series of offensive actions in which they advanced along a front of several kilometers, surrounded Hamas forces and surprised them. Thus they also took more prisoners."

In contrast, he said, Golani conducted one initial offensive and was then engaged mainly in defending the territory it had seized against Hamas' attempts to regain it. "In that situation, you attack and kill whoever is advancing toward you. Therefore, they had fewer opportunities to take prisoners."

However, he added, Golani did discover 50 arms-smuggling tunnels and dozens of booby-trapped houses.

But an officer who served in Gaza, though not in the Paratroops Brigade, offered a different explanation. "To some extent, it depends on the commander's attitude," he said. "The paratroopers' approach was more disciplined and orderly than that of some of the other brigades."

This was also reflected, he said, in the fact that the paratroopers destroyed fewer houses and suffered fewer casualties - the latter being due to the fact that they were more careful about taking cover and wearing helmets. Other brigades, he explained, gave junior officers more leeway, whereas in the Paratroops, senior officers supervised their juniors more closely.


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      1.   More Failure of the IDF 05:35  |  Michael Zibberman 03/03/09
      2.   @michael zibberman 07:31  |  Arie 03/03/09
      3.   Article doesn`t mention that Hamas members hid themselves 07:46  |  redbourn 03/03/09
      4.   the chiefs of staff need to learn from the paratrooper 08:52  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 03/03/09
      5.   This article admits 09:51  |  Chris Linthwaite 03/03/09
      6.   Less than 200 prisoners. 10:11  |  David Nigel Braham 03/03/09
      7.   Israel can seize Pal hostages any time it likes. 11:48  |  Michael 03/03/09
      8.   Mass Slaughter of Cast Lead, 2nd try 11:52  |  Sceptic 03/03/09
      9.   This wont persuade anybody, but might stop hysteria 11:54  |  Sceptic 03/03/09
      10.   David Nigel Braham - yes, about 2/3 combattants 11:56  |  Record 03/03/09
      11.   Using human shields to avoid capture.What martyrs? 11:57  |  PETER SM 03/03/09
      12.   Mass Slaughter of Cast Lead, 2nd try 12:12  |  Sceptic 03/03/09
      13.   This wont persuade anybody, but might stop hysteria 12:12  |  Sceptic 03/03/09
      14.   Sceptic and Record. Israel doesn`t know who it killed. 12:30  |  Michael 03/03/09
      15.   Operation Cast Lead, an absolute disaster from A - Z...... 12:32  |  Swiss (Dino) 03/03/09
      16.   THEY WERE MORE INTERESTED IN KILLING PEOPLE 12:41  |  indrajaya 03/03/09
      17.   To Michael and all the disbelievers. 12:54  |  Sceptic 03/03/09
      18.   THE IDF DIDN`T STAND A CHANCE 12:56  |  Robert 03/03/09
      19.   #18 - Robert 13:24  |  Robert 03/03/09
      20.   Prisoners? 15:50  |  Pablo Luis 03/03/09
      21.   To Michael 16:39  |  Record 03/03/09
      22.   "Take No Prisoners" 16:53  |  Knott Bushman 03/03/09
      23.   linthwaite,israel was "effective" enough to make hamass run and 17:18  |  swiss{dino} 03/03/09
      24.   to #3 redbourn: You wouldn`t know this 17:24  |  CaptAhab 03/03/09
      25.   #5 Linthwaite - This article also said 17:35  |  *BEN JABO 03/03/09
      26.   #16 indrayayaya 17:37  |  *BEN JABO 03/03/09
      27.   indrajaya,how many jewish prisioners have muslims returned alive 17:45  |  swiss{dino} 03/03/09
      28.   michael,learn how to count,300 to 400 civillian deaths is 30% 17:48  |  terrornator 03/03/09
      29.   pablo,how many members of the IDF did hamass take? 17:52  |  POW 03/03/09
      30.   # 23, FAKE SWISS (DINO), ALERT! 17:58  |  indrajaya 03/03/09
      31.   Israelis love to masterbate over military stories 18:06  |  Ibrahim 03/03/09
      32.   Knott Bushman But they did take prisoners 21:20  |  PETER SM 03/03/09
      33.   INDRAJAYA WHY DONT YOU ANSWER INSTEAD OF SCREAMING FAKE 21:21  |  PETER SM 03/03/09
      34.   ibrahim,muslim mastrabation begin with the telling of great arab 21:34  |  jackof 03/03/09
      35.   Do not need more prisoners 22:48  |  Baruch Gold 03/03/09
      36.   Chris Linthwaite #5 not what the article said at all 22:49  |  Gee 03/03/09
      37.   #4 (cjk) bird from outer space--what surprise 22:51  |  Labhras 03/03/09
      38.   #4 (cjk) bird from outer space--what surprise 3rd try 22:52  |  Labhras 03/03/09
      39.   #4 (cjk) bird from outer space--what surprise 3rd try 22:53  |  Labhras 03/03/09
      40.   jackoff must be related to Mad-off 22:59  |  Ibrahim 03/03/09
      41.   The question is.. 23:01  |  Denise 03/03/09
      42.   Palestinians fighting for peace 23:13  |  K.R 03/03/09
      43.   So which brigades used human shields again? 00:31  |  H50 04/03/09
      44.   K.R., This is a joke, right? 03:36  |  Sceptic 04/03/09
      45.   So the paratroopers were the only ones...... 06:05  |  Johnboy 04/03/09
      46.   H50 the Qassam brigades who sent children to pick up launchers 06:51  |  PETER SM 04/03/09
      47.   KR Palestinians don`t fight for peace,they attack civillians 06:53  |  PETER SM 04/03/09
      48.   #45 Johngirl - If you had the guts 18:44  |  *BEN JABO 04/03/09
      49.   for what the golani brigade is "known" explains the difference 20:46  |  eric 04/03/09
      50.   #44 Sceptic, why *do* countries go to war? 08:36  |  Johnboy 05/03/09
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