A co-ed Israeli combat squad eliminated nearly 100 Hamas terrorists while protecting towns along Israel\u2019s borders, and the unit\u2019s female commander says their heroic actions leave \u2018no more doubts about female combat soldiers,\u2019 according to a report.<\/p>\n
Lt.-Col. Or Ben-Yehuda commands the Caracal Battalion, a mixed-gender infantry combat\u00a0unit that has been protecting Israel near the southern Gaza Strip from Hamas infiltration, the Jerusalem Post reported.<\/p>\n
\u2018Their training and performance on the battlefield have erased any doubts. They fought bravely, saved lives, and emerged as heroes,\u2019 Ben-Yehuda said of the female troops, according to the newspaper.<\/p>\n
Ben-Yehuda received reports of Hamas terrorists near the Sufa and Nirim kibbutzim along the border near the southern Gaza Strip, the report said. She reportedly led her troops to Sufa and learned that terrorists had entered a military base.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Israeli squad encountered a convoy of nearly 50 terrorists and the two parties exchanged fire, the report stated.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The fighting dragged on for nearly four hours, according to the report, with Ben-Yehuda and the Caracal Battalion thwarting the terrorists\u2019 attempts to outflank them. The report said Israeli forces used light anti-armor missiles to help eliminate and disperse the terrorists.<\/p>\n
Israeli naval forces eventually arrived to help clear terrorists from the base, which was fully secured after 14 hours, according to the newspaper.<\/p>\n
Ben-Yehuda said the female soldiers in the battalion played a significant role in protecting towns and repelling the militants. She said her unit killed around 100 terrorists during the fighting.<\/p>\n
\u2018There are no more doubts about female combat soldiers, who have triumphed in every encounter with terrorists,\u2019 Ben-Yehuda said, according to the outlet. \u2018At present, we are responsible for 11 towns and are preparing for any potential ground maneuvers to ensure the safety of the southern Gaza border area and the Egyptian border.\u2019<\/p>\n