The IDF has decided based on the lessons of the October 7 Hamas attack that every female observer will now carry a personal Tavor-type firearm upon the completion of her training.
The army's decision, which will be implemented within a month and a half, comes in light of criticism that female observers were left defenseless in the face of the Hamas terrorists who broke into IDF bases on the day of the massacre, without any ability to protect themselves and their comrades because they did not have the weapons with which to do so.
In addition to the criticism about the failure to provide weapons to female soldiers, female observers have testified that they had repeatedly warned of unusual activity by Hamas terrorists before the massacre but their warnings went unheeded.
In addition to the decision to provide weapons to the female observers, the IDF emphasized that in the past year, new methods and technologies have been developed aimed at improving and streamlining the activities of female and male soldiers on the battlefield.
As part of this, reconnaissance and attack drones have been used and modern technological trainers have been placed at training bases.
The IDF is also working to establish another engineering battalion to join the three engineering battalions that currently exist within the armored brigades.
Last week, the November 2024 recruitment cycle for ground units began. This is the fourth recruitment cycle since the start of the war. The training and exercise tracks of soldiers and reservists have been adapted to the reality of war and ongoing combat.
