| Partof: | 2014 Gaza war |
| Date: | 8 July 2014 |
| Place: | Zikim, Israel |
| Combatant1: | Hamas |
| Combatant2: | Israel |
| Strength1: | 5 frogmen |
| Strength2: | Unknown |
| Casualties1: | 5 killed |
| Casualties2: | None |
On the evening of 8 July 2014, five Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades militants swam from the Gaza Strip to Zikim beach in southern Israel.
Five Hamas frogmen of the al-Qassam Brigades attempted to infiltrate Zikim via the northern beaches of Gaza. According to the IDF, all the infiltrators were killed[1]
According to journalist Avi Issacharoff, the Zikim attack was another example, albeit unsuccessful, of Hamas attempting to conduct higher "quality" attacks during Operation Protective Edge. The other example he cited was Hamas's new ability to fire rockets at Israeli civilians in Hadera north of Tel Aviv. Hamas television stations and Arabic satellite stations celebrated the Zikim raid and rocket attacks.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, all five members of the attack squad were killed.[2]
On December that year, the Israel Defense Forces initiated an urgent investigation following the leak of a film from an internal inquiry, which was subsequently circulated in Palestinian media networks.[3] The footage revealed a significantly longer duration of the battle than what was previously presented to the public by the IDF.
The video contained omitted scenes, including those showing militants approaching a IDF Caterpillar D9 armoured bulldozer and placing an explosive on it, and hurling a grenade at a tank. The tank's armor resisted the blast and the crew remained unharmed.[4] These sections were reportedly withheld by the IDF for security reasons.[3] The IDF Spokesman’s Office addressed the leak as a "severe incident" that would be investigated internally, rather than through media channels.[3]
Additionally, the footage showcased the audio communications between the Israeli Navy’s Erez Regional Control Center and military units during their operation to kill the Hamas commandos. The response involved tanks, cannon fire from a Dvora patrol boat of Squadron 916 and ultimately support from the Israeli Air Force.[3] According to IDF assessments, the commando unit was dispatched by "a senior terrorist operative", Ahmed Andur, active in northern Gaza.[3] Taysir Mubasher, the former commander of Hamas's naval forces, was also claimed by the IDF to have been involved in the attack.[5]