The first mixed male-female battalion is operating in Gaza’s combat zones, performing rescue and engineering missions in the Shati neighborhood. The battalion has been assisting the IDF commando unit in breaking through structures and finding hidden underground floors with weapons and intelligence items. Approximately 40% of the unit is made up of female soldiers, who have been deeply involved in rescue missions for wounded soldiers. The battalion works closely with the Oketz Unit and strategically operates similarly to the IDF’s operations in 2002 in the West Bank during Operation Defensive Shield. The unit also ensures that partially broken walls do not fall on the soldiers as they take up new positions, and they are involved in hospital-related inspections and revelations of hidden areas.
Breaking Barriers: Inside the IDF’s Groundbreaking Mixed-Gender Battalion in Gaza
