All-female Israeli ‘lionesses’ squad of 13 kill 100 Hamas terrorists in 14-hr gunfight to save base and families
AN ALL-FEMALE Israel defence squad of just 13 killed nearly 100 Hamas terrorists in a 14-hour gunfight in the southern Gaza Strip.
Israel's Caracal Battalion led the fight against a terror attack on an army base and helped liberate a kibbutz during the onslaught of October 7.
Commander Lieutenant Colonel Or Ben-Yehuda told her unit to "stay alert" as they headed to the southern Israeli kibbutz of Sufa following reports of infiltration by heavily-armed terrorists.
She said to her 12 troops: "We are going out to eliminate terrorists. Infiltration into Israel is happening, and it's spreading.
"Stay alert. We might cross paths. We are a strong squad."
They arrived at the military base to find Hamas had raided the post and taken more than 50 Israeli military personnel hostage.
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As Lt-Col Ben-Yehuda and her 12-women squad zoned in on the base, some 50 heavily-armed terrorists charged towards them.
The commander came face-to-face with a male terrorist and shot him at close range, the reports.
An officer from another unit arrived and proposed an attack on the building where terrorists were hiding, but Lt-Col Ben-Yehuda refused to put the lives of hostages at risk.
She instead directed her attack fire at the terrorists who were out in the open and scattered around the base.
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Combat between the female battalion and the terrorists lasted a gruelling four hours, with the Caracal unit later reinforced by soldiers from a Navy Special Forces unit.
It took 14 hours for them to secure the base.
Lt-Col Ben-Yehuda said the result was proof there "are no more doubts about female combat soldiers".
She praised her soldiers' "significant contributions" to winning the battle and killing about 100 terrorists, as well as saving the lives of the wounded by carrying out helicopter evacuations while under fire.
She said: "The training and performance [of the female combat units] on the battlefield have erased any doubts [about their ability].
"They fought bravely, saved lives, and emerged as heroes."
Meanwhile, an all-female tank crew under Lt-Col Ben-Yehuda's command led another brave attack on Hamas fighters who ransacked the nearby Holit kibbutz and killed more than a dozen civilians.
An officer, who cannot be named for security reasons, told Yetznews: "The female tank crew members were stationed close to our team, and they were amazing. They fought like lionesses. They are heroes.
"I could hear them on the radio, including their commander, Or Ben-Yehuda, operating at the highest level.
"They broke through the fence and engaged with the terrorists that were there by the dozens.
"They deserve to be decorated. They operated like a well-oiled machine, at a professional level that's expected from a tank crew."
Lt-Col Ben-Yehuda added: "At present, we are responsible for 11 towns and are preparing for any potential ground manoeuvres to ensure the safety of the southern Gaza border area and the Egyptian border."
About a quarter of the Israel Defence Force's 200,000 active soldiers are female.
The Caracal Battalion, based in southern Israel, is mostly female - 70 per cent - and has all-women units.
Israel is one of a few countries where military service is compulsory for all able-bodied female residents, though those conscripted serve for slightly shorter terms than their male counterparts.
It comes as horrifying new footage shows Hamas savages slaughtering Israeli women soldiers during their massacre rampage.
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