The border with Gaza has been quieter in the three years since Operation Protective Edge in the summer of 2014, but the IDF's Gaza division has spent that time continuing to train and implement the lessons learned from the operation.
During the last two days, as part of the effort to increase preparedness and training of forces, the northern brigade of the Gaza front division conducted a large-scale brigade exercise, which included training for a large number of operational scenarios.
The exercise included all the regular forces of the brigade, as well as the brigade's reserve forces and the operational forces of the paratroopers and the armored corps, which are currently stationed near the Gaza border.
In addition, the Home Front Command, police forces, and the security forces, participated in the training exercises. The joint training between the brigade and local residents is based on the understanding that strong and close cooperation in times of quiet will allow for strong and close cooperation in times of conflict or emergencies.
"We practice various scenarios, such as penetrations, rocket fire, ground-based and underground scenarios, in order to train our forces and the emergency squads, since their sole purpose is to give the initial response to an explosive incident. The principle objective of the northern brigade in particular, and the Gaza division in general is to be a strong and effective line of defense against the enemy and to protect the residents of the area," said the deputy commander of the Northern Brigade, Lt. Col. Eli Toledano.