
(Scypre.com) – An Israeli K-9 unit has been acknowledged for its role in rescuing over 200 civilians amidst dangerous circumstances in communities near the Gaza Strip.
During confrontations in various communities close to Gaza, Israeli soldiers collaborated with K-9 partners in numerous rescue operations, which involved the liberation of hostages, saving lives, and eliminating terrorists who had taken refuge in residences. This information was conveyed by the Israel Defense Forces Spokesman’s Unit. Soldiers and commanders from Israel’s Oketz K-9 Unit were divided into three distinct companies to actively engage in combat near the Gaza Strip, resulting in the successful rescue of numerous hostages and the elimination of over 10 Hamas terrorists.
In a specific battle at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, a canine named “Naro” was deployed to locate terrorists and weapons but unexpectedly exposed the planned ambush location on Israeli forces, engaging the Hamas gunmen. The Israeli forces effectively neutralized the ambush thanks to the alert from Naro, who unfortunately lost its life in the skirmish. The Israeli soldiers recovered the remains of the K-9 and returned it to their base for a proper burial.
In another incident, a K-9 named “Charlie” successfully pinpointed a senior Hamas leader and initiated contact, allowing Israeli soldiers to assist the dog and apprehend the terrorist. A commander from the Oketz unit revealed that the Israeli K-9 forces are gearing up to transition to offensive operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“The next objective is to enter the Gaza Strip,” stated the commander, as reported by the Israel Defense Forces Spokesman’s Unit. “The mission entails neutralizing all encountered terrorists in the field; we are prepared, resilient, united, and poised for victory.”
According to available reports, the attacks have claimed the lives of 29 Americans and at least 1,300 Israelis. Israeli media has also reported the deaths of around 1,500 Hamas terrorists in Israel. As per the IDF spokesman’s website, Oketz, meaning “sting” in Hebrew, serves as the principal canine unit. The website explains, “It operates with specially trained dogs for missions in the field of counterterrorism, search and rescue, and other specific purposes. The unit operates in all regions of the country.” The website further outlines the voluntary nature of joining the unit, with soldiers undergoing rigorous selection and testing before becoming a part of the team. Each dog is trained to specialize in specific tasks such as attack, search and rescue, locating weapons, detecting explosives, and more.