Yamam was established in 1974 in response to the Munich massacre and the Ma’alot massacre.
The Munich massacre transpired during the 1972 Summer Olympics when 8 Palestinian terrorists killed 2 members of the Israeli Olympic team and held 9 others hostage. Despite the German police successfully eliminating 5 terrorists during a rescue attempt, all 9 hostages tragically lost their lives.
In 1974, the Ma’alot massacre unfolded, where terrorists took 115 Israeli students and teachers’ captive. Israel’s special forces, unprepared for such a large-scale hostage situation, saw 26 students and civilians lose their lives before regaining control.
Yamam was specifically formed as a Hostage Rescue Unit to prevent the recurrence of such tragic events, ensuring swift and effective response in hostage situations.
Over the years, Yamam has undertaken the responsibility of dealing with Israel’s most wanted terrorists, managing high-risk situations and actively engaging in the fight against terrorism.
Yamam was founded 50 years ago and has participated in tens of thousands of missions over the years. Stopping hundreds of the terror attacks a year, on average 3 a week.
In 2021 Prime Minister Naftali Bennett officially designated Yamam as Israel’s National Counter-Terror Unit.
