IDF Oketz unit honors canine heroes for their bravery and sacrifices

In a video published Monday on the IDF Updates YouTube channel, two officers from the IDF’s elite Oketz Unit shared harrowing accounts of the bravery and sacrifices made by their dogs in the line of duty.

Oketz (“Sting” in Hebrew) is the IDF’s canine unit, known for its elite combat soldiers who work with specially trained dogs for counter-terrorism, search and rescue missions, and other specific purposes.

The unit has played a critical role in the war with Hamas, successfully uncovering dozens of bombs and a significant cache of Hamas weaponry, identifying terrorist hideouts and ambushes, and assisting in the recovery of the bodies of murdered hostages Yehudit Weiss and Noa Marciano.

“The connection between the dog and its trainer is very personal,” the IDF states on its official website. Soldiers receive their dogs during their training and spend a lot of time with it. The links between dogs and soldiers are very important during a military operation and are an integral part of the unit’s characteristics.”

Major Generals A and B, who appear in the video, enlisted in Oketz four years ago and were subsequently paired with their dogs, Charlie and Gandhi, eight months into their service. Together, they experienced rigorous training, intense exercises, numerous operations, and, during Operation Swords of Iron, their final joint mission.

The first officer, identified as Major General A, described Charlie as a “cute puppy,” who, when faced with a mission, transformed into a fierce and dedicated “lion”. “On the one hand, the dog thwarts threats and saves lives,” he said, “and on the other hand, he is really my little brother.”

Scene quickly escalates

During his final mission, on a “rainy Friday in the [Gaza] Strip,” Charlie was tasked with

scanning the first floor of a building. As they moved downstairs, Charlie noticed something suspicious and suddenly darted ahead. “I see him go down, I turn my head, and then — three flashes and Charlie’s howl,” Colonel A explained

The scene quickly escalated into chaos as the team faced heavy gunfire and grenade explosions. “I felt like he was parting from me. That’s when I realized my time with Charlie was over.”

Returning to the unit without his “little brother” was a shocking and devastating loss. “When I came back to the unit, I noticed I had two dog muzzles on me,” Coronel A explained. “Usually, there’s one for the dog and one for me. Now, I had no use for it. There was no one to put it on.” 

Colonel B shared a similarly tragic story about his dog, Gandhi. Their mission was to search an eight-story building in Jabaliya, northern Gaza. Gandhi was the first to enter the nearest apartment.

“After a few seconds, we heard a burst of gunfire,” Colonel B recounted. The team, initially confused, soon realized the shots came from inside the apartment. “The unit began firing and throwing grenades, but I already understood it was over. Gandhi, who warned his unit about the terrorists before he died, “had done his job perfectly, saving us and me.”

“It’s an inevitable fear that he will be the hero of the story,” Colonel B added, “but now that it has happened – I couldn’t be prouder of him.”

Yonah Jeremy Bob contributed to this report.