IDF sees massive rise in female conscripts drafting to combat units since start of war with Hamas

The IDF says it has seen a massive turnout of female conscripts drafting to combat units amid the war in the Gaza Strip.

Over the last week, the IDF drafted young women to various combat units where female soldiers can currently serve.

The IDF says it has seen a draft turnout above 100%, and that 12% of women drafting to combat units requested this during the war.

It says that the Border Defense Corps’ light infantry units saw a 116% draft turnout, and the corps’ Combat Intelligence Collection units saw a 133% turnout.

The Artillery Corps saw a 132% draft turnout; the Air Force’s air defense array saw 101%; the Home Front Command’s Search and Rescue units saw 122%; and the Border Police saw 119%.

The numbers mean that more soldiers are showing up for duty than the IDF had initially planned for.

Separately, the IDF says the first two female recruits recently completed screening tests for the Air Force’s elite helicopter-borne search and rescue Unit 669, and will be drafted to the unit later this month.

The pair will then undergo one year and eight months of training, and if they complete it, they will be the first female soldiers in Unit 669.