Operation GYS

Operation GYS
Part of 1948 Arab–Israeli War
Date July 27, July 30 – August 2 1948 Location Northwestern Negev Result Israeli failure to accomplish objectives
Belligerents
Israel (IDF)	Egypt
Commanders and leaders
Shimon Avidan (Givati)	Ahmed Ali al-Mwawi (Egyptian forces in Palestine)
Strength
3 battalions

Operation GYS, or Operation Gayis (Hebrew: מִבְצָע גַּיִ"ס),^[1] short for Golani, Yiftach, Sergei (Negev)—the three participating brigades—was an Israeli military and logistical operation conducted during the second truce of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Its objective was to create a corridor to the Israeli enclave in the northern Negev desert, surrounded by the Egyptian army. When the military operation (later called GYS 1) commenced and failed on July 27, 1948, a more modest operation (GYS 2) was attempted on July 31, aimed just to transport goods to the enclave.

In GYS 1, the Israelis hoped to capture Fallujah and Iraq al-Manshiyya, thus cutting a wedge through the Egyptian forces and having free passage to the Negev. However, the attack on Iraq al-Manshiyya failed and the forces in Fallujah retreated due to communication problems. In GYS 2, the forces took a safer road to the east of Iraq al-Manshiyya and successfully escorted a convoy of 20 trucks. A third attempt on August 18–19, called Operation Way to the Negev, failed. As a result, most supplies had to be transported by air for almost two months, in an operation known as Operation Avak.