Mixed-gender battalion fights in Gaza for first time
For the first time, a mixed-gender battalion of combat and rescue fighters is fighting inside the Gaza Strip, the Israel Defence Forces announced on Sunday.
Men and women of the the 498th “Shahar” Search and Rescue Battalion, the first Israeli mixed-gender unit to operate in Gaza, on Nov. 19, 2023. Photo by IDF Spokesperson
A mixed force from the “Shahar” Battalion in the Rescue and Training Brigade of the Home Front Command joined the ground forces’ activity in Gaza, the IDF said.
The female and male fighters of the battalion joined brigade combat teams in the 162nd division for tasks such as scanning buildings and locating weapons in the area of the Shati refugee camp. The camp is a Hamas stronghold in northern Gaza.
During a raid on a hotel where Hamas terrorists were hiding, soldiers also uncovered an underground floor in a hotel where intelligence material was found.
The Shahar Battalion’s engineers advise ground soldiers on the safety of damaged buildings they consider entering.
TPS
