Hijacked Skies
It was a sunny day when Air France Flight 139 took off from Tel Aviv. The big airplane carried lots of happy people. Some were going on vacation. Others were heading home. Nobody knew their peaceful trip would soon change.
Sarah, a little girl with pigtails, sat by the window with her mom. She watched fluffy clouds float by beneath the wings.
"Look, Mommy! That cloud looks like a bunny!" Sarah pointed excitedly.
"Yes, sweetie. It's beautiful up here," her mother smiled.
Everything felt normal for the first hour. The flight attendants served drinks and snacks. People read books or took naps. But then something scary happened.
Suddenly, four people jumped up from their seats! They had guns and were yelling loud commands. They were terrorists who wanted to take over the plane.
"Nobody move!" shouted one of the hijackers. "Stay in your seats!"
Sarah grabbed her mother's hand tight. Other passengers gasped and some started crying. The plane changed direction. Instead of flying to Paris, it was now heading to Africa.
A Long, Scary Flight
The terrorists made the pilots fly to a place called Entebbe in Uganda. It was far away from where they were supposed to go. Everyone felt scared and confused.
"Mommy, where are we going?" Sarah whispered.
"Shhh, it's going to be okay," her mother whispered back, holding her close.
The flight attendants tried to stay brave. They helped keep people calm. One nice attendant named Marie gave Sarah a cup of water and a kind smile.
Landing in a Strange Place
When the plane finally landed, it was dark outside. Through the windows, the passengers could see they were at a different airport. Big trees and strange buildings surrounded them.
They had landed at Entebbe Airport in Uganda. None of the passengers knew what would happen next.
The terrorists ordered everyone to stay quiet. Armed men outside the plane were waiting for them. Sarah held her teddy bear tight as they were told to leave the plane.
"Step out slowly!" the hijackers commanded. "Follow our instructions!"
One by one, families walked down the airplane steps. The hot African air hit their faces. They were far from home, and their scary journey was just beginning.
The airport lights glowed in the darkness. Soldiers with guns stood watching them. The passengers walked in a line toward a big building. Nobody knew that soon, brave people would come to save them.
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Darkness in Entebbe
The old airport building felt hot and stuffy. Sarah and the other passengers sat on hard metal chairs. Armed guards walked back and forth, watching them closely.
Outside, a big black car pulled up. A tall man in a fancy uniform stepped out. This was Idi Amin, the leader of Uganda. He wore lots of shiny medals on his chest.
"Welcome to my country!" Amin said with a big smile. But his smile wasn't friendly. He was helping the bad people who took over the plane.
Scary Changes
The terrorists started doing something that made everyone more scared. They began splitting up the passengers into different groups.
They separated people who were Jewish or from Israel from the others. Sarah and her mom had to go to a different room with many other families.
"Stay close to me," Sarah's mom whispered, holding her hand tight. The room they were put in was darker and more crowded.
The World Learns About the Problem
Far away, people in other countries found out what happened to the plane. Many important people started talking about how to help:
• Leaders from different countries had big meetings• News reporters told the story on TV• Families of the passengers waited and hoped• Israel's leaders worked hard to make a plan
Life in the Terminal
Days passed slowly in the airport building. The terrorists gave them food and water, but it wasn't very good. The rooms were too hot, and everyone felt tired.
Marie, the kind flight attendant, tried to help the children:
"Let's play a quiet game," she suggested to Sarah and some other kids. "We can count the birds we see through the window."
Even though they were scared, people tried to be brave. They shared food, told stories, and helped each other stay hopeful.
Help Is Coming
What the terrorists didn't know was that far away in Israel, brave soldiers were getting ready. They had a special plan to save everyone.
"Do you think someone will help us?" Sarah asked her mom one night.
"Yes, sweetie," her mother answered softly. "Good people won't forget about us. We just have to be patient and brave."
The sun set over the African trees. Inside the terminal, the hostages tried to rest. None of them knew that soon, their rescue would become one of the most amazing stories ever told.
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Planning the Impossible
In a quiet room in Israel, General Dan Shomron spread a big map on the table. Little toy planes and buildings showed the Entebbe airport. The room was full of brave soldiers in green uniforms. ️
"Our friends need us," General Shomron said. "We must find a way to bring them home."
Finding Important Clues
Israeli helpers worked hard to learn everything about the airport. A man named David had helped build the old terminal building. He drew pictures showing all the rooms inside.
The most important things they learned:
• Where the hostages were kept
• How many bad guys had guns
• What time the guards changed places
• Where to land the rescue planes
Picking the Best Team
Colonel Yoni Netanyahu led the special team of soldiers. They were called Unit Sayeret Matkal - the best of the best! ♂️
"We need to practice everything," Yoni told his team. "Every step must be perfect."
The soldiers built a pretend airport building. They practiced running, hiding, and saving people. They did this over and over until they could do it with their eyes closed!
Big Problems to Solve
The rescue would not be easy. The soldiers faced many hard problems:
1. The airport was very far away
2. They needed lots of fuel for the planes
3. It was dangerous to fly over other countries
4. They had to surprise the bad guys
"What if we paint our planes to look like normal airplanes?" suggested one soldier.
"And we can bring big fuel tanks," said another. "Like carrying extra water bottles for a long walk!"
Getting Ready
The soldiers packed their bags with special tools. They brought:
• Special quiet guns
• Medicine for sick people
• Tools to open locked doors
• Radios to talk to each other
The Final Check
General Shomron looked at his brave team. Their plan was ready. Now they just needed the government to say "Yes."
"Remember," he told them, "we're not just soldiers on a mission. We're bringing families back to their homes."
The room grew quiet. Every person there knew this would be very dangerous. But they also knew they had to try. Somewhere in Africa, Sarah and the other hostages were waiting for help.
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The Journey Begins
The sun was setting over Israel when four big planes lined up on the runway. Inside, the brave soldiers checked their gear one last time.
"Everyone ready?" Colonel Yoni asked his team. "Remember your training. Remember why we're doing this."
Getting the Planes Ready
The soldiers painted one of their planes to look just like an Air France plane. They wanted to trick the bad guys at the airport. The other planes would carry more soldiers and special cars. ️
Special things in the planes:
• Extra fuel tanks
• Medical supplies
• Special rescue cars
• Communication tools
The Secret Take-Off
As night fell, the planes started their engines. Nobody could know they were leaving. The airport lights were turned off to keep it super secret.
"This is Eagle One, ready for takeoff," the pilot whispered into his radio.
One by one, the planes lifted into the dark sky. They flew low over the water, like birds skimming the waves.
Brave Hearts
Inside the main plane, the soldiers sat quietly. Some looked at pictures of their families. Others checked their maps again and again.
"I'm a little scared," whispered David, a young soldier.
"Being brave doesn't mean you're not scared," Yoni smiled. "It means doing what's right even when you are scared."
Flying Through Challenges
The pilots had to be very careful. They couldn't fly over countries that might stop them. They had to avoid other planes that might see them. ✈️
Important flying rules:
1. Stay very quiet
2. Fly low to hide
3. Watch for other planes
4. Save enough fuel
Hour after hour, the planes flew through the dark African night. The soldiers tried to rest, but many couldn't sleep. They thought about the hostages waiting for help.
Almost There
As morning came, they had to hide in the clouds. The sun was their enemy now - it could make other people see them. ☁️
"Two more hours," the pilot announced. "Everyone stay ready."
Yoni gathered his team for one last talk. "Soon we'll land in Entebbe. Remember what we practiced. Remember who we're saving."
"For our families, for our people, for our honor - we will succeed!"
The planes flew on through the morning sky. Inside, brave hearts beat faster as they got closer to their dangerous mission. Sarah and the other hostages had no idea help was on the way.
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Operation Thunderbolt
The night was dark and quiet at Entebbe Airport. The bad guys thought everyone was asleep. But something big was about to happen!
Landing in the Dark
The first Israeli plane landed super quietly. It looked just like an Air France plane. The soldiers inside held their breath. Would their trick work?
"Remember," whispered Yoni, "quick and quiet, just like we practiced."
Three more planes landed behind them. The rescue cars rolled out onto the runway. Everything had to move fast!
The Big Surprise
The soldiers jumped out of their planes. They ran toward the old terminal building where Sarah and the other hostages were being kept. ♂️
The rescue team had to:
• Free the hostages
• Stop the bad guys
• Get everyone to safety
• Protect each other
"Look!" shouted one of the bad guys. "Someone's coming!"
But it was too late. The brave Israeli soldiers were already there!
The Big Fight
Yoni led his team toward the building. Some bad guys started shooting. The noise was very loud!
"Stay down!" Yoni told his soldiers. "Keep moving forward!"
Inside the terminal, Sarah and the other hostages heard the noise. Could this be rescue? They hugged each other and hoped.
Heroes in Action
The soldiers worked together perfectly. Some watched for danger while others ran to find the hostages. ♂️
"We're here to take you home!" they called out to the scared hostages.
Sarah couldn't believe her eyes. The brave soldiers had come all this way to save them!
Getting Everyone Out
Moving fast, the soldiers helped the hostages run to the planes. Some people were crying happy tears. Others were too shocked to speak.
Warning: They had to hurry! More bad guys might come soon!
"Quickly, quickly!" the soldiers called. "The planes are waiting!"
One by one, the hostages climbed aboard. Safe at last! But the mission wasn't over yet.
The Race Home
The pilots started the engines. They had to leave before sunrise. The hostages buckled their seatbelts, still amazed by their rescue. ✈️
"We did it!" cheered David. "We really did it!"
As the planes took off into the night sky, everyone knew they had just been part of something amazing. The impossible rescue had worked!
Sarah looked out the window at the fading lights of Entebbe. She was going home, thanks to the bravest soldiers she had ever met.
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