ENTEBBE RAID

(July 34, 1976), rescue by an Israeli commando squad of 103 hostages from a French jet airliner en route from Israel to France that, after stopping at Athens, had been hijacked on June 27 by Palestinian terrorists and flown to Entebbe, Uganda. At Entebbe, the hijackers freed those of the 258 passengers who did not appear to be Israeli and held the rest hostage for the release of 53 fellow terrorists imprisoned in Israel, Kenya, West Germany, and elsewhere. In response, Israel, on July 3, dispatched four Hercules C-130H cargo planes carrying 100200 soldiers and escorted by Phantom jet fighters. After flying 2,500 miles from Israel to Uganda, the Israeli force rescued the hostages within an hour after landing. Seven of the terrorists were killed, and 11 MiG fighters supplied to Uganda by the Soviet Union were destroyed; the Israelis lost one soldier and three hostages during the operation. On the return trip the Israeli planes met an awaiting hospital plane and refueled at Nairobi, Kenya. The success of the Entebbe raid substantially boosted Israeli morale.