Bombing of Gaza Bridges
Both bridges were sabotaged during the 'Night of the Bridges' operation, on the night of the 16th to the 17th of June 1946.
Two bridges (road and railway) 30 meters from each other, overlooking Nachal Gaza (Nachal Habsor today) connected Israel with Egypt, about 8km south of Gaza. The railway-bridge sits on columns above the river bed, while the road-bridge was a paved Irish bridge on ground level. Both bridges were sabotaged during the 'Night of the Bridges' operation, on the night of the 16th to the 17th of June 1946.
The Gaza Bridges sabotage mission was assigned to a force that consisted of 38 men from the Palmach Second Battalion, who lived in kibbutz Na'an and kibbutz Givat-Brenner. The plateau area, free of vegetation, made it difficult to access the bridges, and the force had to reach them with no hiding place. The bridges were near British military bases, guarded by Arab watchmen, who were protected by padded posts. The operation commander was Itiel (Itay) Amichai, deputy second in command of the Second Battalion.
The Gaza Bridges sabotage mission was assigned to a force that consisted of 38 men from the Palmach Second Battalion, who lived in kibbutz Na'an and kibbutz Givat-Brenner. The plateau area, free of vegetation, made it difficult to access the bridges, and the force had to reach them with no hiding place. The bridges were near British military bases, guarded by Arab watchmen, who were protected by padded posts. The operation commander was Itiel (Itay) Amichai, deputy second in command of the Second Battalion.