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The Savoy Hotel where the Savoy Operation took place

On the night of March 4, 1975 at 11:00 PM, eight Palestinian terrorists in two teams landed by boat on the Tel-Aviv, Israel beach. Shooting and throwing grenades, they captured the Savoy Hotel near the center of the city. The guests became hostages. The Palestinians threatened that if the Israelis did not release 20 Palestinian prisoners within four hours the hostages would be killed.

Early the next morning an Israeli commando unit (Sayeret Matkal) stormed the hotel, killing seven terrorists and capturing one. Five hostages were freed and eight were killed. Three soldiers, including the former Sayeret Matkal commander Uzi Yairi, were also killed. A few hours later the ship that transported the terrorists was captured and its crew were taken prisoners.

The Palestinian operation was masterminded by Abu Jihad in retaliation for a surgical raid that the same commando unit (Sayeret Matkal) conducted in Beirut, Lebanon in April, 1973 (Operation Spring of Youth), where they killed three top PLO leaders.

Members of the Savoy Operation included Musa Juma El-Tallka, who was the only survivor, Muhammed Mashala, Hader Muhammed, Ziad Talk El Zrir, Musa Awad, Muhammed El Masri, Abu El Lel, and Ahmed Hamid who were all killed by the Israeli commandos.

Although the hostage situation took place in the Savoy Hotel, the initial target of the terrorists was the Israeli tourist city of Nahariya. Apparently the team was unable to locate the city on the night of the operation. Two months later, the operation's objectives were changed to the Manshiya Neighborhood Youth Club, and the Tel-Aviv Opera Building. The contingency plan in case the original targets could not be located was to select any nearby populated buildings as targets. This resulted in the Savoy Hotel raid, as it was the only illuminated building on the street.

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