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Inside Khan Yunis with the IDF Commando Brigade

(Israel Hayom) Eyal Levi - The Maglan unit had eliminated three terrorists just a few hours before we arrived. They had been hiding in a small alley, from where they sent an innocent-looking person to the main street to see if there were any soldiers around. When he signaled that the coast was clear, they came out with an RPG rolled inside a carpet to hide it. Col. Omer Cohen, head of the IDF Commando Brigade, explained: "They act like civilians, and when they recognize you, they enter one of the houses, arm themselves, shoot, throw away the weapon, and continue as if nothing happened. If I...identify them ahead of time, we know to wait for them and strike." Major G, the commander of the Maglan unit, says his soldiers have killed about ten terrorists since the morning hours. He explains, "Our unit has lost members, and they and the bereaved families are pushing us. They want us to continue for them." Col. Cohen describes the units in his brigade: "They are all excellent raiding units that specialize in night fighting and fighting in built-up areas. They have a high firing capability in all types of antitank weapons, and each one has a specific purpose. Egoz is a guerilla unit that knows how to hit the enemy in places he didn't expect. Maglan is a collection, exposure, and attack unit that knows how to identify an enemy from a distance and destroy it. Duvdevan is a leader in fighting in built-up territory, and...has returned to fight in Judea and Samaria." "Almost every house here is loaded with arms," explains Col. Cohen. "What was life like here beforehand? Terror and more terror, and hatred for the State of Israel. You can find it behind every closed door. You ask what is an existential war? It is an enemy you cannot exist next to." The brigade has lost 32 soldiers since the fighting began, and they continue to operate like a well-oiled machine.
2024-02-05 00:00:00
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