The Israel Defense Forces has created a new counter terror unit, the Gaza Envelope LOTAR Unit, to operate in the Israeli communities along the Gaza border.
The ceremony to formally establish the new unit took place Monday in the presence of the Commanding Officer of the Gaza Division, BG Avi Rosenfeld, the Commanding Officer of the Gaza Envelope LOTAR Unit, LTC. (res.) A., security officers, civilian security coordinators of the communities and the soldiers of the division.
The new unit was established in accordance with the directive of IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and comes as part of the lessons learned from the initial investigations on the ground from the events of October 7th.
The unit is intended to provide a quick and available response to terrorist incidents in the Gaza Envelope area — something that was sorely lacking on October 7 and caused the deaths of hundreds of people.
The “Mashiv HaRuach” administrative work of the Border Protection Corps and the Chief Infantry and Paratroopers Officer Headquarters, whose purpose is to improve and rehabilitate the communities defense forces, will oversee the new unit.
The new counter terror force will consist of reserve soldiers and veterans of special forces units who live in the communities near the Gaza Strip or its surrounds. They are expected to be on standby for activation in the area.
The soldiers of the unit will undergo dedicated training and will eventually be trained as skilled soldiers to meet the challenges in the area.
So far, hundreds of soldiers who are in the selection process have applied for the first training session, slated to be held in the coming weeks.
“The formation of the unit in this period contains within it the essence of the story of the State of Israel; From destruction to revival,” the Commanding Officer of the Gaza Envelope LOTAR Unit, LTC. (res.) A. said.
“The blow we received on October 7th, the regaining of our composure, the social cohesion, the transition to operating and working together, the beginning of rehabilitation and building the future so that it will be a better and safer place.
“For this reason we have gathered here, in the heart of an area that has been damaged and suffered so much, where we lost our best people, and now we are bringing about the construction of a unit that will serve as a sectoral anchor and a magnet for all those who have the defense of the homeland and the desire to continue contributing to the country in front of their eyes.”
