Is 7 Days in Entebbe Based on a True Story? Ending Explained
by Rubaditsha
Updated May 04, 2023
Is 7 Days in Entebbe Based on a True Story?
Yes, "7 Days in Entebbe" is based on a true story. The movie is a dramatization of the 1976 hijacking of an Air France flight from Tel Aviv to Paris, which was diverted to Entebbe, Uganda, by Palestinian and German terrorists.
In 1976, an Air France flight carrying 248 passengers and crew was hijacked by a group of Palestinian and German terrorists. The flight had originated in Tel Aviv and was en route to Paris when it was diverted to Entebbe, Uganda.
The hijackers, who were members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the German Revolutionary Cells, demanded the release of over 50 Palestinian and pro-Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
The hijackers kept the hostages at Entebbe airport, where they were guarded by Ugandan soldiers. The situation became an international crisis, with negotiations between the hijackers and Israeli and French officials proving fruitless.
On the seventh day of the hijacking, the Israeli government authorized a rescue mission, known as Operation Entebbe, to free the hostages. Israeli commandos flew into Entebbe airport in the middle of the night, disguised as Ugandan soldiers, and managed to surprise and overpower the hijackers and Ugandan guards. During the raid, three hostages were killed, as well as one Israeli commando.
The mission was widely regarded as a success and boosted the morale of the Israeli people. It also had a lasting impact on counterterrorism strategies, with other countries adopting similar tactics to rescue hostages in the years that followed.
"7 Days in Entebbe" is a dramatic retelling of these events, with some fictionalized elements added for the purposes of storytelling. The movie focuses on the perspectives of the hijackers, the hostages, and the Israeli government and military, offering a nuanced portrayal of the motivations and actions of all parties involved.
7 Days in Entebbe Plot
On June 27, 1976, Air France Flight 139 was hijacked by two terrorists from the Revolutionary Cells, an ultra-leftist terrorist organization, during the flight's stopover in Athens. Wilfried Böse and Brigitte Kuhlmann commandeered the plane, which was flying from Tel Aviv to Paris, and took it to Benghazi, where they released a female passenger who pretended to suffer a miscarriage.
The hijackers then flew the plane to Entebbe, Uganda on June 28, where they met up with terrorists from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who had helped orchestrate the hijacking. The passengers were taken to a dilapidated terminal where they were met by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, who was in league with the hijackers.
Meanwhile, Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and defense minister Shimon Peres were alerted to the hijacking and began negotiating with Amin. Peres suggested invading the airport, but Rabin and Gen. Motta Gur, the chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), rejected the idea. The terrorists began to segregate Israeli and non-Israeli hostages, much to Böse's fury.
On June 30, the hijackers released 48 non-Israeli hostages, but kept the Israeli hostages. Rabin began negotiating with the hijackers on July 1, under diplomatic pressure. The deadline was postponed to July 4, and the IDF initiated preparations for a rescue mission, called Operation Thunderbolt. Despite favoring a diplomatic approach, Rabin reluctantly supported the operation, which consisted of the Sayeret Matkal elite commando unit, led by Lt. Col. Yoni Netanyahu.
On July 3, with the preparations for the rescue mission finalized, Rabin convened the Israeli cabinet for a vote, which unanimously endorsed the mission. The strike force, already en route to Uganda, landed discreetly at Entebbe that night.
They approached the terminal in a black Mercedes limo disguised as Amin's state vehicle but were discovered when one of the operatives prematurely opened fire. They engaged both the terrorists and Ugandan soldiers in a firefight. Böse, Kuhlmann, and Yoni were killed, along with the remaining terrorists and several Ugandan soldiers. The airport was secured, and 102 hostages were evacuated from Uganda.
Peres congratulated Rabin on the success of the operation, but Rabin noted that ensuring peace was the only way to prevent further incidents between Israelis and Palestinians. The film ends with archival footage of the survivors' return to Israel, with brief notes about the fates of Rabin, Peres, Yoni, and the aftermath of the operation.
7 Days in Entebbe Ending Explained
The ending of "7 Days in Entebbe" portrays the survivors' return to Israel after being rescued from the Entebbe airport in Uganda by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The film depicts the events of Operation Thunderbolt, a daring military operation that took place on July 4, 1976, to free over 100 hostages from the clutches of Palestinian and German terrorists who had hijacked an Air France flight and landed in Uganda.
The aftermath of the operation is briefly touched upon in the film's ending. The hostages are shown being greeted by their families and Israeli officials upon their arrival in Israel. The film also notes that the mission resulted in the deaths of three hostages, one Israeli soldier, and all seven terrorists involved in the hijacking.
The ending also provides brief notes on the fates of some of the key figures involved in the operation. Yitzhak Rabin, the Israeli Prime Minister at the time, is shown in archival footage, later becoming a victim of assassination.
Shimon Peres, the Defense Minister who had supported the military operation, is shown congratulating Rabin on the success of the mission. He would go on to become the Israeli Prime Minister and receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts towards peace in the Middle East.
The film ends with a message about the importance of pursuing peace in the region. Rabin is quoted as saying, "Peace is not only the goal, but the way to achieve security," emphasizing the need for diplomatic solutions to the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.
Overall, the ending of "7 Days in Entebbe" highlights the bravery and heroism of the IDF soldiers who risked their lives to rescue the hostages, and the importance of pursuing peaceful solutions to the ongoing conflict in the region.
7 Days in Entebbe Cast
Daniel Brühl
Wilfried Böse
Rosamund Pike
Brigitte Kuhlmann
Eddie Marsan
Shimon Peres
Lior Ashkenazi
Yitzhak Rabin
Denis Ménochet
Jacques Le Moine
Ben Schnetzer
Zeev Hirsch
Angel Bonanni
Yonatan Netanyahu
Nonso Anozie
Idi Amin
Juan Pablo Raba
Juan Pablo
Omar Berdouni
Faiz Jaber
Mark Ivanir
Motta Gur
Peter Sullivan
Amos Eiran
Zina Zinchenko
Sarah Mayes
Andrea Deck
Patricia Martel
Brontis Jodorowsky
Captain Michel Bacos
Vincent Riotta
Dan Shomron
Yiftach Klein
Ehud Barak
Natalie Stone
Leah Rabin
Trudy Weiss
Dora Bloch
Michael Lewis
Major Muki Betser
Tomer Kapon
Soldier
Cast
Role
Is 7 Days in Entebbe Based on a True Story: FAQs
The main characters in the movie are Wilfried Böse, Brigitte Kuhlmann, Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin, Jacques Le Moine, Zeev Hirsch, Yonatan Netanyahu, Idi Amin, Juan Pablo, Faiz Jaber, Motta Gur, Amos Eiran, Sarah Mayes, Patricia Martel, Captain Michel Bacos, Dan Shomron, Ehud Barak, Leah Rabin, Dora Bloch, Major Muki Betser, and a soldier played by Tomer Kapon.
"7 Days in Entebbe" is a movie based on the true events of the 1976 hijacking of Air France Flight 139 from Tel Aviv to Paris. The plane was diverted to Entebbe, Uganda, where the hijackers, members of the Revolutionary Cells and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, held the passengers and crew hostage. The movie focuses on the rescue operation by the Israel Defense Forces, led by Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu.
Yes, "7 Days in Entebbe" is based on the true events of the 1976 hijacking of Air France Flight 139 and the subsequent rescue operation by the Israel Defense Forces.
Daniel Brühl played the role of Wilfried Böse in "7 Days in Entebbe".