All-female Israeli ‘lionesses’ combat unit of just 13 soldiers ‘killed nearly 100 Hamas gunmen as they helped liberate kibbutz’

An all-female combat unit of just 13 soldiers from the Israeli Defence Force [IDF] took on and killed nearly 100 Hamas gunmen when they fought off a terror attack on an army base and helped liberate a kibbutz, it has emerged.

Lieutenant Colonel Or Ben Yehuda and her 12 women soldiers of the Caracal Battalion led the frontline fightback from armoured personnel carriers after racing to a military post on the Egyptian border that was being attacked during the Hamas onslaught.

With rockets raining down all around her, she learned that the terrorists had broken through Israel’s border fence with the Gaza Strip and were heading for the Jewish settlements of Shlomit and Bnei Netzer on October 7.

In a final message from the Sufa military base as it came under attack from dozens of Hamas fighters, a colleague who was killed just minutes later warned Lt-Col Ben Yehuda: ‘There are several terrorists here. They’re heavily armed.’

In a pre-battle address, Lt-Col Ben Yehuda then told the 12-women unit that they were strong and would not be defeated.

She said: ‘We are going to eliminate terrorists. [An] Infiltration into Israel is happening and it’s spreading. Stay alert. We might cross paths. We are a strong squad.’

Lt.-Col.Or Ben-Yehuda restrains and blindfolds a Hamas fighter

Lt.-Col.Or Ben-Yehuda from the infantry combat Caracal Battalion unit

When the unit arrived at the military base, they discovered that Hamas had overrun the post and taken more than 50 Israeli military personnel hostage.

Some seven gunmen had taken up positions in the dining room armed with anti-tank missiles.

As the officer and her 12-women squad approached the base from all angles, a band of 50 heavily armed terrorists charged towards them from the surroundings.

But the unit held its ground, shooting some dead and forcing others to scatter.

In one harrowing moment Lt-Col Ben Yehuda was confronted face-to-face by a male terrorist, who she shot at close range.

An officer from another unit arrived at the military base and proposed an attack on the building where the terrorists holed up.

But Lt-Col Ben Yehuda insisted that she would not put the lives of the hostages at risk and directed her attack fire at the terrorists who had taken up positions around the post.

Over the next four hours the 12-women unit engaged in a bitter fire-fight with Hamas, who sent wave after wave of gunmen against them.

Despite some of the soldiers getting wounded, the all-female unit continued to fight.

The Caracal Battalion unit was later reinforced by soldiers from a Navy Special Forces unit and together they continued to engage Hamas for the next 14 hours until the terrorists were either dead or had fled.

Ben Yehuda later praised the ‘significant contributions’ the female soldiers under her command had made to winning the battle as well as saving the lives of the wounded, carrying out daring helicopter evacuations under fire.

She also acknowledged the bravery of an all-female tank crew under her command that led the attack on Hamas fighters who had ransacked the nearby Holit kibbutz, killing more than a dozen civilians.

Ben Yehuda praised the ‘significant contributions’ the female soldiers under her command had made to winning the battle as well as saving the lives of the wounded

Lt-Col Ben Yehuda added: ‘There are no more doubts about female combat soldiers, who have triumphed in every encounter with terrorists.’

In total Caracal Battalion units are said to have killed about 100 terrorists – a fact that should dispel any doubts about the ability of female soldiers, she said.

Lt-Col Ben Yehuda 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.’

The all-female tank crew has also been praised for leading the attack on Hamas terrorists who had overrun the Holit kibbutz.

An officer, who cannot be named for security reasons, told the Yetznews website: ‘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: ‘There are no more doubts about female combat soldiers, who have triumphed in every encounter with terrorists.

‘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.’

The IDF has approximately 50,000 female combat troops out of a total of 200,000 active soldiers. Women must carry out military service alongside men and are called back to serve in the Army Reserve in times of crisis.

The Caracel Battalion is made up of 70 per cent female soldiers and has all-women units. It is based in southern Israel.

In 2014 Lt-Col Ben Yehuda was injured in a terrorist attack on the border with Egypt but she managed to return fire, killing one militant in the battle.