Paratroopers' Battalion: From Gaza to Lebanon, IDF soldiers share their journey

From Gaza to Lebanon: Meet the paratroopers who have fought on the northern and southern front.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF NOVEMBER 12, 2024 01:23

IDF soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip, November 11, 2024. (photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

At the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War, the Paratroopers' Battalion drafted in August 2023 was still undergoing training when they were first deployed in the Gaza Strip, The IDF shared on Monday.

Since then, they have been relocated to the northern front, where they are set to enter southern Lebanon for the third time, the IDF noted.

Private Ido from the 890th Battalion described his experiences being relocated multiple times since being drafted, "It was tough at first, but after two times, we know the area better." He also noted some similarities between the northern front and the Gaza Strip, stating, "The houses and mortars are the same, but the threats here are greater."

IDF soldiers operate in Lebanon, November 11, 2024. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)

A resident of Kibbutz Gesher Haziv north of Nahariya, Ido added, "Fighting to bring peace to my home and loved ones means everything to me."

Combat experiences in Gaza and Lebanon

While recalling some of the encounters he had had since being relocated to the north, Ido shared a key moment when he entered a tunnel that was filled with weapons, saying, "We passed mines and saw how much Hezbollah had stockpiled. It made me realize the importance of this fight.”

Private Yoav, from Sde Nitzan in the south near the Gaza Strip, spoke about his resolve, emphasizing that after the October 7 Massacre, he “felt a duty to fight and restore security to my home."

Ido and Yoav, both of which were drafted in August 2023 to the Paratroopers’ Battalion, have grown close during their year-long service, with Yoav noting, "We're a real family now."