Terrorists in the Gaza Strip constantly threaten the lives of Israeli civilians. The IDF is working hard to combat this threat, with a special force – the female combat soldiers of the Combat Intelligence Corps.
Israel is under constant threat from the Gaza Strip. Residents of southern Israel wake up every day knowing that missiles could fall on their homes, or that their friends and family members, whether soldiers or civilians, could be kidnapped by Gaza terrorists. They worry about the weponry that could be smuggled through tunnels into Israel, and about the terrorist units that attempt to infitrate the border. They live with the reality of explosions along the border fence and sniper fire aimed at the soldiers who keep Israel civilians safe.
Israelis have been dealing with the reality of rocket sirens for years. Every time they hear the siren, they must immediatedly stop whatever they are doing and run to a shelter. They have 15 seconds to get there before the rocket hits.
Gaza terrorists threaten Israelis from underground too. They dig tunnels, aiming to use them to smuggle weapons and kidnap Israeli civilians and soldiers. These scenarios have happened in the past and are threatening to happen again. Just a few months ago, IDF forces discovered a tunnel dug from Gaza right into Israel.
Soldiers who patrol the Gaza border frequently deal with explosive devices that terrorists plant along the fence, and snipers shooting from across the border. Soldiers have been injured or killed during patrols along the fence on more than one occasion. Sniper fire at the soldiers frequently when they they approach the Gaza border fence.
The Eyes of the Nation
The soldiers on the frontline of this ongoing battle, the soldiers who are the first to face these threats, are the fighters of the Combat Intelligence Corps. They are the first line of defense on the field. Using a combination of technology and and human capabilities, they can find terrorist units or suspicious people, and identify targets and abnormal behavior. They are commonly known as “The Eyes of the Nation”. All the information that the Combat Intelligence Corps discovers is immediately transferred to the other forces in the sector, and senior commanders makes the decision to act based on that information.
Male and female combat soldiers undertake this crucial work together. They enlist together, and complete training as one unit. These soldiers know the Gaza sector better than anyone else, and are the source of professional information in the field. Last week, a new generation of Combat Intelligence soldiers joined the Corps after an intense beret march.
“The female soldiers in the company are incredibly powerful, and I don’t mean just physically,” says Lt. Daniel Schorr, Deputy Company Commander. “They have a metal power and a fire inside that motivates them each and every day.”
“They surprise me all the time. I admire them.”
