On July 4th, we usually remember the events of 1776, when America cast off the yoke of British rule. But something else happened on that date—exactly 200 years later. On July 4th, 1976, Israel carried out one of the most daring military operations in its history.
An Air France flight from Tel Aviv to Paris was hijacked by a group of Palestinian and German terrorists and diverted to Entebbe, Uganda. Over 100 hostages—mostly Israeli and Jewish passengers—were held in the old terminal building at Entebbe Airport, with the full cooperation of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.
My Cousin Patricia
One of the passengers aboard the hijacked Air France flight was my cousin, Patricia Martell, a British-Israeli nurse. She hadn’t originally planned to be on that plane. Her mother had died suddenly in Manchester, and during the crowded summer travel season, the only available route was a Tel Aviv–Paris flight that connected through Athens. She took it.
Shortly after takeoff from Athens, the plane was hijacked by two men and a woman, who brandished guns and grenades. The terrorists referred to each other by numbers—“10,” “39,” and “53”—and ordered the passengers to remain calm. A man identifying himself as the “new captain” spoke over the loudspeaker in cultured English with a slight German accent. They were headed to an unknown destination, after being denied landing rights in Algeria.
Patricia, determined to reach Manchester for the funeral, resolved to get off the plane no matter what. When the plane stopped to refuel in Benghazi, Libya, she devised a plan. As a nurse, she understood how to fake a medical emergency—and guessed that a female hijacker would be particularly unnerved by the prospect of a miscarriage. She claimed to be 16 weeks pregnant and experiencing pain. When an Israeli doctor on board examined her, she whispered that she was fine and just wanted off the plane. The doctor initially downplayed her condition, but she persisted—moaning and pleading until both the steward and the doctor agreed to support her request for medical care. Eventually, the terrorists relented.
She was brought to a local clinic in Benghazi. The miscarriage was never mentioned again—everyone understood it was a ruse. To her surprise, the Libyans treated her well. She was eventually visited by the British consul, then housed in an ornate hotel, given kosher vegetarian food, and driven around by a bodyguard named Achmed, who was curious about Israeli life. She returned to London on a first-class ticket and met with British and Israeli intelligence, offering what would become the only first-hand information on the hijacking until other passengers were released days later.
Ironically, she had a past connection to Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. Years earlier, when he trained in Israel, she had been his nurse—twice—at Tel Hashomer hospital. As the only English-speaking nurse on duty, she cared for him personally and recalled how, dressed all in black, he was nearly invisible in his darkened hospital room. At the time of the hijacking, she even wondered if he might remember her and treat the hostages kindly—though later she realized how naïve that hope had been.
She eventually returned to Israel, and was often featured on the anniversary of Entebbe. At the ten-year anniversary, she appeared on Israeli television alongside Yitzhak Rabin and Ehud Barak.
The Rescue
Facing impossible odds, the Israeli government launched a rescue mission—Operation Thunderbolt—flying 2,500 miles across Africa under the radar, landing in the middle of the night, and freeing the hostages in just 99 minutes. Most of the soldiers had never left Israel before. They arrived in transport planes under cover of darkness, using the element of surprise. The lead vehicle in the convoy was a black Mercedes made to resemble Amin’s personal car.
As luck (and preparation) would have it, Israeli engineers had previously worked on the Entebbe airport project. One of them still had the original blueprints in a desk drawer—information that proved invaluable in planning the assault.
All seven hijackers and dozens of Ugandan soldiers were killed. To ensure a clean exit, Israeli forces destroyed 11 Ugandan MiG fighter jets on the ground. Three hostages died during the operation; the rest were flown to safety. Only one Israeli soldier was killed: the mission’s commander, Yonatan Netanyahu.
The raid was a masterclass in military rescue tactics and became a defining symbol of Israeli resolve. It was also the beginning of Benjamin Netanyahu’s political career. Then a student at MIT, he was deeply affected by the death of his older brother Yoni, whose leadership and sacrifice became the stuff of national legend. In the years that followed, Benjamin moved away from business and toward politics—a path that would eventually lead him to the prime minister’s office.
Remarkably, the mission involved three future Israeli prime ministers: Benjamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak (who helped plan the raid), and Shimon Peres, the defense minister who authorized it.
Entebbe wasn’t just a military triumph. In the wake of devastating terrorist attacks like the 1972 Yom Kippur War and Munich Olympics massacre, it marked a turning point—in counterterrorism strategy, Israeli morale, and international perception.
The rescue at Entebbe was one of Israel’s greatest international achievements. It sent a clear message: terrorists could not strike Israel with impunity. It showed the world that Israel would be audacious, courageous, and unwavering in defending its people.
References
- ‘We thought this would be the end of us’: the raid on Entebbe, 40 years on, Jonathan Freedland, The Guardian, June 25, 2016.
- One Day in Entebbe, Jonathan Freedland, BBC Radio 4, July 3, 2016. Free to listen.
- Israel’s Hero: The Yoni Netanyahu Story, Free on Amazon Prime.
- Patricia Martell’s story, A Mother In Israel Blog
- Entebbe 30 Years On, The Jewish Telegraph
Reprint of Patricia Martell’s Story
Last night I heard a talk by a woman named Tricia Martel.
Martel was living in Petach Tikva when her mother died suddenly in Manchester on a Thursday afternoon in 1976. She couldn’t get a seat to London during the vacation season. Finally a travel agent suggested she fly to Paris on Air France, that had seats available for on Sunday’s flight.
Two Air France flights left that Sunday morning from Tel Aviv to Paris. One was a direct flight. The second stopped in Athens. Martell got on the plane to Athens.
The Hijacking
Just after the plane took off two men, one fair and one dark, came running down the aisles. A woman came out of the galley. She was especially cruel. The three spoke to each other with numbers: The woman was called 10, the fair man 53 and the dark man 39. They carried guns and boxes of hand grenades and told the passengers that if they were quiet, no one would be hurt. When one man stood up and started yelling, #10 hit him with the side of her gun.
Next a man introduced himself over the loudspeaker as the new captain. He spoke cultured English with a slight German accent and sounded calm, even pleasant. He said that Algeria would not let the plane land, so they were continuing until they found a country to accept them.
Escape Plans
At that point Martel decided that she was getting off that plane no matter what. All fear left her. She needed to get to Manchaster. Even after the captain announced that they would land in Benghazi, Libya, for refueling, she didn’t waver.
As a nurse, Martel thought she could fake a medical condition. She considered a heart attack, but she looked too young, and faking an asthma attack is difficult for more than a few minutes.
Martel decided that, as a woman, #10 would be afraid of a bloody mess. So she told her that she was 16 weeks pregnant and in pain with a threatened miscarriage. #10 called for a doctor and an Israeli gastroenterologist came over. Tricia whispered to him that she was fine, and just wanted to get off the plane. He said to her, “Don’t worry, we’re in this together.” He turned around and told #10 that Martel was just panicking and she seemed to be fine. Martel was furious with him.
She continued to moan so much that the Air France steward sitting in the next row told #10 that Martel needed more medical attention. When the doctor returned Martel told him firmly that she was getting off the plane, with or without him. This time the doctor reported that Martel needed to go to a hospital.
Tricia went to the cockpit to ask for her British passport, which had been confiscated by the terrorists. In the cockpit, the pilot sat while a man held a gun to his head. Martel convinced one of the male terrorists to return her passport, overriding #10.
She returned to her seat to retrieve her handbag. As she walked down the aisle toward the exit, each passenger in turn took her hand and squeezed it.
Benghazi Airport
At the airport, a doctor brought her to a clinic. No one mentioned the miscarriage after that, as everyone knew it had been made up.
In Libya, she was treated well. At first they resisted letting her see the British consul but eventually he showed up, nattily dressed in a suit, tie and cuff-links despite the scorching desert heat. He told the Libyans to treat her well because she was a subject of Her Royal Majesty the Queen. The Libyans put her up in an ornate hotel and served her vegetarian food, as she kept kosher. They provided a bodyguard and chauffeur named Achmed, who showed her the sights and was curious about the price of bread in Israel and whether wives there listen to their husbands. The Libyans gave her a first-class ticket to London for Monday evening, one of only two weekly flights.
Martel and Idi Amin Go Way Back
The Air France plane sat at the Benghazi airport for seven hours before flying to Entebbe. When Martel heard, she was disappointed she hadn’t gone with them. You see, she knew Ugandan dictator Idi Amin personally. He had trained in Israel and had been her patient twice in Tel Hashomer hospital. As the resident English-speaking nurse, she had cared for him. He had his own room and because he dressed all in black, when she came into the room at night she couldn’t tell where he was. She had an idea that he might remember her and treat the hostages more kindly. Of course later she realized how foolish this was.
Return to Civilization
When Martel got to the plane, the pilot was introduced as the youngest commercial pilot in the world. She sat with him in the cockpit during the flight and listened to the BBC. When the plane stopped in Tripoli, the British ambassador came to see her at the airport. The stewardess, a Christian Lebanese, was the only woman Martel saw in Libya. Instead she saw a lot of pictures of Qaddafi.
When Martel debarked, reporters were everywhere. She was allowed to call her father and sister, then brought via the underground network of roads beneath Heathrow airport to the police station. There she was debriefed by the British for several hours, and shown 3000 pictures of terrorists. None matched. Then she flew to Manchester to the shiva (mourning) house. Reporters swarmed there too. The Israelis arrived the next day and showed her more photographs. The reporters lost interest in the story after the non-Jewish passengers were released in Entebbe.
Conclusion
Last night I heard a talk by a woman named Tricia Martel.
Martel was living in Petach Tikva when her mother died suddenly in Manchester on a Thursday afternoon in 1976. She couldn’t get a seat to London during the vacation season. Finally a travel agent suggested she fly to Paris on Air France, that had seats available for on Sunday’s flight.
Two Air France flights left that Sunday morning from Tel Aviv to Paris. One was a direct flight. The second stopped in Athens. Martell got on the plane to Athens.
The Hijacking
Just after the plane took off two men, one fair and one dark, came running down the aisles. A woman came out of the galley. She was especially cruel. The three spoke to each other with numbers: The woman was called 10, the fair man 53 and the dark man 39. They carried guns and boxes of hand grenades and told the passengers that if they were quiet, no one would be hurt. When one man stood up and started yelling, #10 hit him with the side of her gun.
Next a man introduced himself over the loudspeaker as the new captain. He spoke cultured English with a slight German accent and sounded calm, even pleasant. He said that Algeria would not let the plane land, so they were continuing until they found a country to accept them.
Escape Plans
At that point Martel decided that she was getting off that plane no matter what. All fear left her. She needed to get to Manchaster. Even after the captain announced that they would land in Benghazi, Libya, for refueling, she didn’t waver.
As a nurse, Martel thought she could fake a medical condition. She considered a heart attack, but she looked too young, and faking an asthma attack is difficult for more than a few minutes.
Martel decided that, as a woman, #10 would be afraid of a bloody mess. So she told her that she was 16 weeks pregnant and in pain with a threatened miscarriage. #10 called for a doctor and an Israeli gastroenterologist came over. Tricia whispered to him that she was fine, and just wanted to get off the plane. He said to her, “Don’t worry, we’re in this together.” He turned around and told #10 that Martel was just panicking and she seemed to be fine. Martel was furious with him.
She continued to moan so much that the Air France steward sitting in the next row told #10 that Martel needed more medical attention. When the doctor returned Martel told him firmly that she was getting off the plane, with or without him. This time the doctor reported that Martel needed to go to a hospital.
Tricia went to the cockpit to ask for her British passport, which had been confiscated by the terrorists. In the cockpit, the pilot sat while a man held a gun to his head. Martel convinced one of the male terrorists to return her passport, overriding #10.
She returned to her seat to retrieve her handbag. As she walked down the aisle toward the exit, each passenger in turn took her hand and squeezed it.
Benghazi Airport
At the airport, a doctor brought her to a clinic. No one mentioned the miscarriage after that, as everyone knew it had been made up.
In Libya, she was treated well. At first they resisted letting her see the British consul but eventually he showed up, nattily dressed in a suit, tie and cuff-links despite the scorching desert heat. He told the Libyans to treat her well because she was a subject of Her Royal Majesty the Queen. The Libyans put her up in an ornate hotel and served her vegetarian food, as she kept kosher. They provided a bodyguard and chauffeur named Achmed, who showed her the sights and was curious about the price of bread in Israel and whether wives there listen to their husbands. The Libyans gave her a first-class ticket to London for Monday evening, one of only two weekly flights.
Martel and Idi Amin Go Way Back
The Air France plane sat at the Benghazi airport for seven hours before flying to Entebbe. When Martel heard, she was disappointed she hadn’t gone with them. You see, she knew Ugandan dictator Idi Amin personally. He had trained in Israel and had been her patient twice in Tel Hashomer hospital. As the resident English-speaking nurse, she had cared for him. He had his own room and because he dressed all in black, when she came into the room at night she couldn’t tell where he was. She had an idea that he might remember her and treat the hostages more kindly. Of course later she realized how foolish this was.
Return to Civilization
When Martel got to the plane, the pilot was introduced as the youngest commercial pilot in the world. She sat with him in the cockpit during the flight and listened to the BBC. When the plane stopped in Tripoli, the British ambassador came to see her at the airport. The stewardess, a Christian Lebanese, was the only woman Martel saw in Libya. Instead she saw a lot of pictures of Qaddafi.
When Martel debarked, reporters were everywhere. She was allowed to call her father and sister, then brought via the underground network of roads beneath Heathrow airport to the police station. There she was debriefed by the British for several hours, and shown 3000 pictures of terrorists. None matched. Then she flew to Manchester to the shiva (mourning) house. Reporters swarmed there too. The Israelis arrived the next day and showed her more photographs. The reporters lost interest in the story after the non-Jewish passengers were released in Entebbe.
Conclusion
When Martel arrived back in Israel on Friday, it took several hours to get through security because her passports weren’t in order.
Ten years after the hijacking, Martel appeared on the Mabat news program with Yitzhak Rabin and Ehud Barak, who had both participated in the Entebbe rescue. Rabin told her that she had been metumtemet(stupid).
Martel always felt bad for abandoning the other passengers, but has been warmly received at every reunion. No one blamed her for escaping, and her debriefings provided valuable details for the rescue mission. Until the first passengers were released in Entebbe, Martel was the only source of information about the situation on the plane.
Entebbe 30 Years On
From The Jewish Telegraph
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