Commander of the Oketz K-9 Unit to his soldiers: "The next step is to enter the Gaza Strip. The mission is to neutralize all the terrorists we confront in the field; we are ready, we are strong, we are united, and we are going to win."
Commanders and soldiers from the Oketz K-9 Unit acted with courage and determination when the war began. After joining other IDF forces in the field, and in light of the operational need, the decision was made to establish three independent combat companies that will take an additional role in the active combat in communities surrounding the Gaza Strip.
Soldiers from the Oketz K-9 Unit and their canines fought terrorists in communities surrounding the Gaza Strip together with soldiers from the Sayeret Matkal (the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit) and Shaldag (Kingfisher) units. Under enemy fire in Kibbutz Be'eri, the soldiers rescued hostages, saved lives, and eliminated terrorists who had barricaded themselves in houses and on the roads of the kibbutz.
In another battle at Kibbutz Kfar Aza,
an Oketz canine named "Naro" was dispatched to locate terrorists and weapons. Naro revealed the location of an ambush waiting for the Oketz soldiers and attacked them. The unit's soldiers neutralized the terrorist cell.
Naro was killed during the incident.After hours of fighting,
soldiers from Oketz and Flotilla 13 rescued his remains and brought Naro back to the unit's base for burial.
During the battles, Oketz soldiers rescued over 200 civilians and neutralized more than ten Hamas terrorists. Also, during the incident, a senior Hamas terrorist of the Underground Array was apprehended by an attack dog named "Charlie", who revealed the terrorist’s location and initiated contact.
Attached is bodycam footage from the soldiers and canine units during the rescue of a family in Kibbutz 'Be'eri':
https://bit.ly/46NfkpEAttached is a video of the Commander of the Oketz K-9 Unit, LTC E., speaking to his soldiers:
https://bit.ly/45xsXrY2K20:25
14.10.23
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