About 30 female commanders and recruits undergoing training at the Sde Boker Gadna base have been suffering in recent days from vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps.
According to a report by Israel Hayom, the scale of the illness prompted officials to halt training today (Monday), and the soldiers and commanders underwent medical examinations at the base.
According to a source familiar with the details, completing the medical examinations was made a condition for resuming training. At the same time, a minibus carrying soldiers suffering from similar symptoms left the base for a local clinic to receive treatment.
The Sde Boker base generally serves candidates for military service who arrive for a week of Gadna activities and an introduction to military service. At present, the base is also hosting some of the training courses that are ordinarily conducted at the Israeli Air Force’s Ovda base, due to constraints at the southern base in recent months.
One Air Force recruit who has been staying at the base in recent weeks claimed that conditions in the kitchens are poor.
“The kitchens here are filthy and full of insects and cockroaches, and it was only a matter of time before this happened," she said.
The IDF stated: “Over the past several days, a number of soldiers at the Sde Boker base sought medical treatment after feeling unwell. All soldiers who reported symptoms received initial medical treatment at the base."
The IDF added: “Regarding the claims that the recruits were not allowed into the dining hall, those claims are inaccurate. All soldiers are receiving food in accordance with their medical condition. We emphasize that the soldiers who complained are receiving care tailored to their needs. An epidemiological investigation is currently underway to examine the incident."