Sec.-Lt.s A., N., and Y., return to Zikim after having to stave off Hamas’s brutal attack on October 7, 2023, with just six weeks of training.
Over 700 young men and women reported for duty at the Tel HaShomer conscription base on Wednesday, marking a historic moment for the IDF’s Home Front Command‘s Rescue Brigade, as they started their journey in the brigade’s training program.
The Rescue Brigade is a combat brigade, just like any other fighting unit in the IDF. Until this week, it consisted of four battalions and a reconnaissance unit, with a fifth battalion now being added.
The new recruits of the brigade’s “Tavor” Battalion are unaware that their commanders are part of a heroic chapter in the brigade’s legacy, as these commanders enlisted exactly two years ago in the August 2023 draft and were sent to basic training at the Zikim base in southern Israel.
When Hamas terrorists invaded the Zikim area and attempted to overtake the base on October 7, a group of recruits from the August 2023 draft was stationed there. For an entire day, they found themselves defending the base. Their commanders fought on the front lines and repelled waves of terrorists. After many commanders were wounded or killed, these recruits — just six weeks into service with barely any combat training — were forced to evacuate the wounded and fallen, take over the defensive positions, and protect the base themselves.
Three of those recruits have recently completed officer training. This week, they each became platoon commanders for the August 2025 draft of recruits.
Sec.-Lt. A., Sec.-Lt. N, and Sec.-Lt. Y. (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI)
Due to the war, the brigade’s training base — where soldiers undergo three months of basic training followed by four months of advanced training — was relocated to Nabi Musa in the Judean Desert.
Right before meeting the new recruits, the young officers — Sec.-Lt.s A. from Kibbutz Mevo Hama, N. from Modi’in, and Y. from Ramat Gan — sat down for a conversation.
“We enlisted in August 2023. October 7 caught us six weeks into basic training. We had just done a few shooting ranges and had only the most basic training,” said Sec.-Lt. A.
“I was in bed, just came off a guard shift. Around 6:30 a.m., the alarm sounded. We were told to go to the shelter. We had no idea what was happening,” said Sec.-Lt. N.
“I was supposed to start a guard shift when the alarms began. The company commanders rushed to the defensive positions and started organizing resistance against the terrorists advancing toward the base,” said Sec.-Lt. Y., who added: “There were constant alarms. We saw the commanders running to defend the base and us. After about half an hour, we were ordered to leave the shelter in small groups, head to our rooms, put on uniforms and combat vests, and return to the shelter immediately. Outside, we could hear the heavy fighting. Our company commander, Maj. Adir Avudi instructed the officers to engage and protect the recruits in the shelter.”
The fog of war began to lift when one of the female commanders entered the shelter.
“She came in after a bullet hit her helmet. She was covered in blood. That’s when we realized how serious it was outside,” said Sec.-Lt. A.
At that point, with the command staff being injured, the recruits were called to join the fight.
IDF soldiers operate in Gaza’s Beit Hanun, July 2025; illustrative. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)
“As the number of casualties rose, they began using us as a fighting force. We started reinforcing the defensive positions. We were called to evacuate the wounded and the dead,” said Sec.-Lt N.
“We came to evacuate the casualties. Most of the company’s command staff were there — Eden, Yanai, Eder, and Omri. All of them were killed. Eden was a squad commander, Yanai and Eder were platoon commanders, and Omri was the company commander,” recalled Sec.-Lt Y.
“There was no crying, no moment of panic. We immediately understood we had to help and fight. We kept thinking about how we could volunteer for missions and take action. After all, we enlisted to be combat soldiers. It came very early in our service, but I told myself: ‘This is why I joined — to defend and fight,’” said Sec.-Lt. A.
The young officers describe how a new dynamic emerged in the chaos. Some recruits stepped up and acted decisively in response to the attack on their base.
“There was a strong sense of camaraderie. My friends were acting, doing what had to be done, and I never thought for a second to stand back. I couldn’t just watch,” said Sec.-Lt. A.
Sec.-Lt. Y. added that, “There was initial shock. Some soldiers saw dead bodies for the first time. But the focus had to be on responding quickly and accurately. The commander gave us orders, and I focused on carrying them out. Later, even after the fighting subsided, we had to man the positions for ten straight hours in case of a second wave. I was stationed in a post from which, minutes earlier, we had evacuated four of our fallen commanders. It was covered in blood. In those moments, you don’t speak — you just carry out the mission.
‘Being a soldier is about character’
“Being a soldier is about character. You face fear and danger, but you must have the determination to win.”
“A week before October 7, we participated in a mass casualty drill. That was the first time we were exposed to a battlefield-like situation. Maybe that helped us that morning,” said Sec.-Lt. Y.
“Some soldiers were in initial shock, but that didn’t take away from their fighting spirit,” Sec.-Lt. N. added. “Many quickly began fighting, and throughout the war, they fought with great courage.”
“Whoever functioned that morning became a stronger, more resilient soldier than the rest of the battalion,” summarized Sec.-Lt. Y.
After about 24 hours at the Zikim base, with the IDF bringing in reservists and active service forces to establish a defensive line, the decision was made to evacuate the recruits. They were bused straight to the Central Command headquarters in Ramla. Most hadn’t slept in over a day. Some wore blood-soaked uniforms.
“I remember getting off the bus. They lined us up, and for the first time, removed the magazines from our rifles, cleared the chamber, and inserted the safety plug. That was the moment we were returned to being recruits who had just come back from battle,” said Sec.-Lt. Y.
“One of the commanders read out the names of our fallen and wounded commanders. Then, we were given new uniforms, told to shower, and asked to pile our old, bloodied uniforms. After a shower and a light meal, they sent us to sleep for a few hours. When we woke up, new commanders from other battalions had arrived to reinforce the depleted command staff. Later, we were allowed to attend our fallen commanders’ funerals,” said Sec.-Lt. N.
The August 2023 draft continued basic training for another month at various IDF facilities. Afterward, they were transferred to the former paratroopers’ training base at Nabi Musa, where, under a new command team, they began advanced training. The three then proceeded to the squad commanders’ course. Two became platoon commanders for new recruits, and one remained to command the next cycle of the course.
“During the squad commanders’ course, I realized I wanted to become an officer. I saw I was good at it and understood that this was not the time to leave the army — the IDF needs officers and leaders now,” said Sec.-Lt. A.
Sec.-Lt. N. added that the death of her commander, Lieutenant Yanai, motivated her to continue his mission:
“I wanted to walk in his path. I want to lead and complete the training path for new recruits, just as Yanai intended to train us. For me, there’s no question — if you can be a soldier, if you can lead, you must. That’s what the country needs now.”
“I didn’t know at the start that I wanted to be a commander or an officer, but after our commanders were killed defending us, I knew I had to continue in their path. I also understood that I had a responsibility — I could do more,” added Sec.-Lt. Y.
Coming full circle
For the three young officers, this marks a full-circle moment.
“Two years after we enlisted, we’re now receiving the next generation of fighters. It’s our responsibility to train them to be the best fighters possible,” they say with pride.
They plan to share their personal story with their recruits and commemorate the bravery of their fallen commanders who fought to stop the Hamas terrorists from entering the base and harming the recruits.
“There will be a heritage lesson, and I won’t hide anything from them,” said Sec.-Lt. N. “I’m going to explain to them: ‘You’re here to become fighters. And we truly understand why orders and procedures must be followed precisely. We’ve been there — we know what war is, what real fighting is.”
