Israel Declassifies 1976 Entebbe Files, Revealing Talks Before 106-Hostage Raid
Updated
Updated · Euronews · Jun 27
Israel Declassifies 1976 Entebbe Files, Revealing Talks Before 106-Hostage Raid
3 articles · Updated · Euronews · Jun 27
Summary
Newly released Israeli files show Yitzhak Rabin's crisis team did not move straight to force in 1976, but authorized limited negotiations as the Entebbe hostage crisis dragged into a sixth day.
The documents indicate Israel ran two tracks at once—supporting France-led contacts with Idi Amin while secretly preparing the raid with airport mock-ups and transport planes staged in Kenya.
Officials appear to have chosen the assault only after talks stalled and commanders' confidence rose in the operation that rescued all but three of the 106 hostages in under an hour.
Released days before the 3 July 50th anniversary, the archive adds nuance to a defining Israeli operation as the country still confronts the legacy of the 7 October 2023 attacks, in which about 1,200 were killed and 251 taken hostage.
Did the legendary Entebbe raid create a military doctrine that shapes Israel's current conflicts?
How can a 50-year-old plane remain a key asset in modern, high-stakes conflicts?
With its first female soldier, how will the elite Sayeret Matkal's operational future change?
Inside Entebbe: What 50 Years of Newly Declassified Israeli Archives Reveal About the 1976 Hostage Crisis and Rescue
Overview
On June 27, 2026, marking the 50th anniversary of the Entebbe hostage rescue, the Israel State Archives released a large collection of previously classified documents. These materials provide a detailed and unprecedented look into the week-long crisis of July 1976, including government meeting minutes, diplomatic cables, photos, and legal reports. The new evidence challenges the long-held belief that the Entebbe raid was simply a military decision, revealing instead the doubts, concerns, and multiple scenarios considered by Israeli leaders. This release offers a deeper understanding of the complex decision-making behind one of history’s most dramatic rescue operations.