Operation "Yoav"
The objective of the operation was to break the siege on the Negev and reconnect it to the south. Participants: Negev and lowland districts; Palmach Negev, Yiftah, Givati, Oded and the 8th armored Brigades; air force, artillery and engineering. The outcome: an Egyptian pocket surrounding Faluja was all that remained of the Egyptian forces. Egyptian forces west of the pocket retreated to the Gaza Strip and the Negev Brigade occupied Beer-Sheba using it as a base for future operations.
Yitzhak Sadeh - 1
Yitzhak Sadeh - 2
The Negev Brigade - 4
Background: all attempts to break the siege since the first cease fire had failed. In September, 1948 the southern front H.Q. was established in order to deal with the Negev situation.
The enemy: At the beginning of October, 1948, three Egyptian Infantry Brigades were based in the southern front sector: one between Majdal and Rafiah, the second between Majdal and Ashdod and the third between Majdal and Bait-Jibrin, as well as two artillery and armored Battalions.
Jewish forces: Givati Brigade including 5 battalions+ 5 artillery batteries; the 8th Armored brigade including an incursion and armored battalion; the Oded Brigade including 3 battalions; Yiftah Brigade including 2 Battalions and two 65\75 mm cannon batteries; the 'Negev' Brigade including 3 battalions and a battery of 65 mm cannons; The Negev and the Lowland 'Chim' battalions replaced the Yiftah and Givati brigades occupying the army posts so the latter could participate in the fighting.
The objectives: Establishing geographic continuity between the center of the country and the Negev settlements and defeating the Egyptian forces on the southern front.
The method: the concept was to mislead Egyptian forces by raiding the Rafiah area which was distant from the primary fighting region between Majdal and Beit-Guvrin; creating 3 wedges in order to divide the enemy, occupy enemy army posts and eradicate the forces between the 3 wedges.
The early deployment stage: on the night of the 11th of December, the 'Negev' Brigade front command and the 7th Battalion scouts infiltrated Egyptian lines. Tactical H.Q. stationed near Mishmar Hanegev, began planning the occupation of Be'er Sheva and the scouts positioned in Hazerim patrolled the city. On the night of the 13th of October, 250 of the 8th Battalion members infiltrated Egyptian lines in order to replace the Yiftah Brigade members occupying the northern Negev army posts, opposite the Burma army posts and blocking Brayer and the road leading from Nir-Am to Gaza.
On the night of the 14th of October, the 9th Battalion infiltrated the Egyptian siege strip between Majdal and the junction army posts and deployed near Gevulot in order to raid Rafiah.
Phase 1- The night of the 15th of October and the 16th of October: creating wedges and occupying the army posts along the bypass: the 9th Battalion raided the Han-Yuness-Rafiah sector; The Givati Brigade created a wedge in the Hirbet-A-Ray area; The Yiftah Brigade began creating a wedge in Beit-Hanun that was bombarded during the day and the Egyptian convoys still used the Majdal-Beit-Hanun road in order to reach Gaza; on the 16th of October, the occupation of army posts along the blocked road failed as a result of the 82nd and the 7th Battalions failure to occupy Iraq-El-Manshia. Yigal Alon decided to shift the operation to Hulikat while the Egyptians vacated their forces north of the Beit-Hanun wedge.
Phase 2: the night of the 17th and the day of the 18th of October:
The 9th Battalion renewed the raiding of the Rafiah - Han-Yuness sector during the night; The Givati Brigade occupied army posts no. 113 and some of the junction posts; The Yiftah Brigade failed to occupy Hulikat no. 138 army post; on the 18th of October, Egyptian convoys bombarded and invaded Beit-Hanun from the west; The Givati Brigade occupied Kawkaba and Beit Tima;
On the 19th of October, The 'Negev' Brigade Commander, Nahum Sarig, convinced the rest of the southern front H.Q., in spite the resistance of the Yiftah Brigade Commander, Mula Cohen, to occupy Be'er Sheva instead of Gaza.
Phase 3- the night of the 19th and the day of the 20th of October- breaking through to the Negev and the occupation of Be'er Sheva: Oded Brigade's attack against the Burma road army posts failed: The Yiftah Brigade captured Beit-Hanun while the Egyptians evacuated their forces from the Majdal-Ashdod pocket via the cost; The Givati Brigade occupied Hulikat during the night, thus completing the occupation of the junction army posts. They failed to capture the Iraq-Swidan police station; The Negev Brigade H.Q., the 7th Battalion and the 8th Battalion units were stationed by Mishmar Hanegev; the 9th Battalion moved from Gevulot to Urim. On the 20th of October the 'Negev' Brigade prepared for the occupation of Be'er Sheva.
Phase 4: 21st of October- "Operation Moshe"- the occupation of Be'er Sheva:
The operation was named after the 8th Battalion Company Commander, Moshe Albert, killed during the first bombardment of Beit-Eshel. The Negev Brigade, reinforced by the 82nd armored Battalion and the 88mm mortar Battalion of the 8th Brigade occupied Be'er Sheva before noon.
On the night of the 21st of October, the Givati Brigade and the 89th Battalion of the 8th Brigade occupied Beit-Guvrin and Dwima.
The enemy: At the beginning of October, 1948, three Egyptian Infantry Brigades were based in the southern front sector: one between Majdal and Rafiah, the second between Majdal and Ashdod and the third between Majdal and Bait-Jibrin, as well as two artillery and armored Battalions.
Jewish forces: Givati Brigade including 5 battalions+ 5 artillery batteries; the 8th Armored brigade including an incursion and armored battalion; the Oded Brigade including 3 battalions; Yiftah Brigade including 2 Battalions and two 65\75 mm cannon batteries; the 'Negev' Brigade including 3 battalions and a battery of 65 mm cannons; The Negev and the Lowland 'Chim' battalions replaced the Yiftah and Givati brigades occupying the army posts so the latter could participate in the fighting.
The objectives: Establishing geographic continuity between the center of the country and the Negev settlements and defeating the Egyptian forces on the southern front.
The method: the concept was to mislead Egyptian forces by raiding the Rafiah area which was distant from the primary fighting region between Majdal and Beit-Guvrin; creating 3 wedges in order to divide the enemy, occupy enemy army posts and eradicate the forces between the 3 wedges.
The early deployment stage: on the night of the 11th of December, the 'Negev' Brigade front command and the 7th Battalion scouts infiltrated Egyptian lines. Tactical H.Q. stationed near Mishmar Hanegev, began planning the occupation of Be'er Sheva and the scouts positioned in Hazerim patrolled the city. On the night of the 13th of October, 250 of the 8th Battalion members infiltrated Egyptian lines in order to replace the Yiftah Brigade members occupying the northern Negev army posts, opposite the Burma army posts and blocking Brayer and the road leading from Nir-Am to Gaza.
On the night of the 14th of October, the 9th Battalion infiltrated the Egyptian siege strip between Majdal and the junction army posts and deployed near Gevulot in order to raid Rafiah.
Phase 1- The night of the 15th of October and the 16th of October: creating wedges and occupying the army posts along the bypass: the 9th Battalion raided the Han-Yuness-Rafiah sector; The Givati Brigade created a wedge in the Hirbet-A-Ray area; The Yiftah Brigade began creating a wedge in Beit-Hanun that was bombarded during the day and the Egyptian convoys still used the Majdal-Beit-Hanun road in order to reach Gaza; on the 16th of October, the occupation of army posts along the blocked road failed as a result of the 82nd and the 7th Battalions failure to occupy Iraq-El-Manshia. Yigal Alon decided to shift the operation to Hulikat while the Egyptians vacated their forces north of the Beit-Hanun wedge.
Phase 2: the night of the 17th and the day of the 18th of October:
The 9th Battalion renewed the raiding of the Rafiah - Han-Yuness sector during the night; The Givati Brigade occupied army posts no. 113 and some of the junction posts; The Yiftah Brigade failed to occupy Hulikat no. 138 army post; on the 18th of October, Egyptian convoys bombarded and invaded Beit-Hanun from the west; The Givati Brigade occupied Kawkaba and Beit Tima;
On the 19th of October, The 'Negev' Brigade Commander, Nahum Sarig, convinced the rest of the southern front H.Q., in spite the resistance of the Yiftah Brigade Commander, Mula Cohen, to occupy Be'er Sheva instead of Gaza.
Phase 3- the night of the 19th and the day of the 20th of October- breaking through to the Negev and the occupation of Be'er Sheva: Oded Brigade's attack against the Burma road army posts failed: The Yiftah Brigade captured Beit-Hanun while the Egyptians evacuated their forces from the Majdal-Ashdod pocket via the cost; The Givati Brigade occupied Hulikat during the night, thus completing the occupation of the junction army posts. They failed to capture the Iraq-Swidan police station; The Negev Brigade H.Q., the 7th Battalion and the 8th Battalion units were stationed by Mishmar Hanegev; the 9th Battalion moved from Gevulot to Urim. On the 20th of October the 'Negev' Brigade prepared for the occupation of Be'er Sheva.
Phase 4: 21st of October- "Operation Moshe"- the occupation of Be'er Sheva:
The operation was named after the 8th Battalion Company Commander, Moshe Albert, killed during the first bombardment of Beit-Eshel. The Negev Brigade, reinforced by the 82nd armored Battalion and the 88mm mortar Battalion of the 8th Brigade occupied Be'er Sheva before noon.
On the night of the 21st of October, the Givati Brigade and the 89th Battalion of the 8th Brigade occupied Beit-Guvrin and Dwima.