The attack, planned by
Ali Hassan Salameh, was carried out by a group of two men and two women who pretended to be two couples: the group's leader Ali Taha Abu Snina, plus Abed al-Aziz Atrash, Rima Tannous and Theresa Halsa. Soon after taking command, the hijackers separated the Jewish hostages from the others and sent them to the back of the aircraft. When the plane landed, the hijackers demanded the release of 315 convicted Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel, and threatened to blow up the airplane with its passengers. Captain Levy managed to send the Israelis a coded message requesting help. Captain Levy said he talked to the hijackers about everything "from navigation to sex" while the passengers and crew waited to be rescued. On 9 May 1972 at 4:00 p.m. the rescue operation began: a team of 16
Sayeret Matkal commandos, led by
Ehud Barak disguised as aircraft
technicians in white coveralls. They captured the two female hijackers and rescued all 90 remaining passengers. Three passengers were wounded in the exchange of fire, one of whom later died of her injuries. Netanyahu was wounded during the rescue when another commando, Marko Ashkenazi, accidentally discharged his gun as he used it to hit Theresa Halsa. The bullet passed through her and penetrated Netanyahu's
biceps. ==Aftermath==