Bombing execution of Gaza Bridges
As a result of the explosions, the railway-bridge was badly damaged, while the road-bridge only suffered moderate damage. The force retreated from the area with no injuries, while the rear guard squad covered up their tracks in the sand using sacks.
The warriors left for their mission at 20:30 from kibbutz Be'erot-Yitzhak. After a 20-minute truck ride, the force began moving on foot for about 20 minutes. At the same time, a force the size of a squad, headed by Gershon, opened fire on a British base near the train station at Dir Sunid (between Gaza and kibbutz Yad-Mordechai.) The diversion tactic was intended to mislead the British into thinking that the base is the target of attack, and that they should remove forces from the Gaza Bridges towards the base. The diversion tactic was a success, and the squad safely retreated to Yad-Mordechai. The kibbutz guards even helped in the operation's success by inviting over the Gaza police officers and other regional military officers to a party. The party was planned to cause another delay in the British forces ability to organize a pursuit once the bridges were bombed.
Meanwhile, the main force arrived at the deployment point, set barricades on both ends of the bridge, and cut off the phone line. The saboteurs and demolition carriers crawled along the edge of the wadi, planning to slide down the three metered stonewall towards the supporting columns of the railway bridge. They were surprised to find that the barbed wire fence stretching across the wall blocked their way. This fence was not discovered during surveys preceding the operation. The Arab guards spotted the force nearing the bridge and opened fire towards them. The covering squad returned fire and the saboteurs, headed by Nachum Arieli, began placing the demolition charges. Simultaneously, another squad headed by the Na'an platoon commander, Yisha'ayahu (Shkalar) Gavish, placed their demolition charges on the road-bridge. When the order was given, the road-bridge exploded but nothing happened at the railway-bridge. Arieli returned to the to the bridge columns and found a disconnection in the demolition charge wires. He fixed the connections, reactivated the charge, and the railway-bridge was also bombed. As a result of the explosions, the railway-bridge was badly damaged, while the road-bridge only suffered moderate damage.
The force retreated from the area with no injuries, while the rear guard squad covered up their tracks in the sand using sacks. To make it harder to trace the force, and to prevent British searches in settlements neighboring the bridges, the warriors marched 40km until kibbutz Dorot and kibbutz Ruchama.
Meanwhile, the main force arrived at the deployment point, set barricades on both ends of the bridge, and cut off the phone line. The saboteurs and demolition carriers crawled along the edge of the wadi, planning to slide down the three metered stonewall towards the supporting columns of the railway bridge. They were surprised to find that the barbed wire fence stretching across the wall blocked their way. This fence was not discovered during surveys preceding the operation. The Arab guards spotted the force nearing the bridge and opened fire towards them. The covering squad returned fire and the saboteurs, headed by Nachum Arieli, began placing the demolition charges. Simultaneously, another squad headed by the Na'an platoon commander, Yisha'ayahu (Shkalar) Gavish, placed their demolition charges on the road-bridge. When the order was given, the road-bridge exploded but nothing happened at the railway-bridge. Arieli returned to the to the bridge columns and found a disconnection in the demolition charge wires. He fixed the connections, reactivated the charge, and the railway-bridge was also bombed. As a result of the explosions, the railway-bridge was badly damaged, while the road-bridge only suffered moderate damage.
The force retreated from the area with no injuries, while the rear guard squad covered up their tracks in the sand using sacks. To make it harder to trace the force, and to prevent British searches in settlements neighboring the bridges, the warriors marched 40km until kibbutz Dorot and kibbutz Ruchama.