Israeli men and women are not the only ones who are fighting to save the Jewish homeland from the Palestinian Organization Hamas. Oketz is the Israeli military unit that specializes in the tactical use of canines. Along with their brave handlers, trained dogs have been able to save countless lives by using their keen senses to sniff out enemy weapon caches and hidden explosives before any human would be able to do so.
A man who goes by the name of “Major A” made an appearance with Fox News Digital to talk about the dogs and the operation that is saving countless lives in Gaza. Finally, those brave dogs are receiving public praise for the dangerous and selfless work that they are taking part in to save their handlers and human companions.
Many will want to know what breeds are being used by the Israeli Defense Forces, but Major A was only able to share the exact genetics of a few. He explained, “There are a few types of dogs used by the unit, some are confidential, most of them are types of [shepherds].” While plenty around the world are familiar with shepherds as house pets, the other mystery breeds are sparking interest on the internet.
Finally, giving the dogs their due, Major A explained the purpose of the dogs. The canines are not used to fight enemies in combat and are not asked to confront the enemy head-on. Instead, the dogs are asked to find things in ways that humans and technology would not otherwise be able to.
Major A explained the added layer of specialty that these canines bring to his unit, saying, “They are used for three main reasons: tactical dogs that are used to identify enemies; explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) dogs for finding explosives and others; and search and rescue dogs that took a vital part in this war in Israel and Gaza.”
While these dogs have been putting themselves in harm’s way, over 50 booby traps have been uncovered and disarmed thanks to the pooches. Major A did, however, explain that this word did not come without loss of lives, saying, “In this specific war we have unfortunately lost five dogs already, which provided a huge contribution to the war effort and saved many soldiers’ lives.”
As the canine unit has continued to make a sizable difference in the war, so too are these dogs able to feel a close working relationship with their owners and handlers, something that canines so deeply long for. Though they may not be able to understand the words that Major A said, the dogs are being lauded as heroes in Israel as they selflessly defend their unit and others from traps and ambushes.
Lastly, Major A explained that these dogs are soldiers just like him, all the way to the very end. Just like soldiers, they receive burials similar to their brothers and sisters in arms. Major A explained, “Every dog has a special stone that explains who he was and when he fell and why, similar to soldier’s tombs.”
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