The War of Iron Swords is a war between the State of Israel and various terrorist organizations, led by the Hamas organization that controls the Gaza Strip, which broke out on the morning of Saturday, the holiday of Simchat Torah, October 7, 2023, following a large-scale surprise attack by the terrorist organizations on dozens of settlements and bases Army in the area surrounding Gaza.
Gdud 13 at that time carried out an operational occupation in the Nahal Oz sector, the battalion captured the Nahal Oz, Alumim and Pega outposts (Haphat’k Company and Company A were the post office of Battalion 77 in the Erez and K2 outposts).
There was no warrior or soldier in the battalion who was killed in his room, all warriors and soldiers of the battalion fought with courage and heroism in the outposts and settlements.
Gdud 13 lost about 42 fighters and soldiers in the battles of October 7 (a mortally wounded fighter died of his wounds in the hospital).
Immediately after returning the situation to normal and purifying the settlements in the battalion’s sector,
The 13th Battalion was assigned a defensive position and carried out a defensive battle that lasted a week and a half.
During the defensive battle, the battalion rebuilt itself in all sections, starting with personnel, tigers, flexible, logistical means, IT, and up to vehicles and trucks.
The battalion dismounted from the defensive battle to carry out a battle procedure for the offensive battle,
On October 31, the Golani Brigade and the 13th Battalion entered into an attack battle against the Sabra, Shati, Alfarkan, and Darj Tafah battalions. B’.
Even at the time of writing these lines, Gdud 13 continues the attack on Hamas’ central camp battalions.
The 13th Battalion was established on February 22, 1948 and was the third battalion in the Golani Brigade – Brigade No. 1 – hence its number.
The battalion was named after the biblical judge Gideon ben Yoash, because at its beginning, the battalion occupied the Bekat Beit Shan sector that was Gideon’s property.
The regiment’s symbol is the tree of Golani with a sword and a pitcher and a trumpet on it – in the Bible, Gideon divided his warriors into three groups and gave each man a pitcher with a burning torch and a trumpet inside. The Gdud took part in all of Israel’s wars.
• In 1948, as part of the War of Independence, the soldiers of the battalion took an extensive part in the various activities. In the occupation of the Shan Valley, Zarein and the isolation of the wing in the Jezreel Valley. Conquest as Occup el Hawa (star of the Jordan). Taking over the city of Nazareth. The battalion also took part in “Operation Assaf” – the occupation of Sheikh Noran (within Kibbutz Magen) and Hirbat Ma’in (between Nirim and Nir Oz) and “Operation Horeb” in which they carried out a deception battle in the area of Tel Abbasan near Kissufim in order to capture Mashlot 86.
• In 1956, as part of the Sinai War, the soldiers of the battalion took part in the battle to occupy the Rafah junction posts. The purpose of the occupation was to free the junction so that armored forces could move towards Al-Arish and from there to Sinai. On the first of November, the brigade’s tasks were completed – the Rafah compound was occupied and the armored brigade began to move towards El-Arish.
• In March 1962, the soldiers of the battalion participated in the occupation of the Nukaiv outpost in light of the Syrian harassment of the Israeli fishermen in the Kinneret.
• In May 1965, as part of the “Rock Cliff” operation, the soldiers of the battalion blew up the building of the Adnan Tzedki farm near Khirbat Shona in Jordan.
• In October 1965, as part of the “Mazanim” operation, the fighters raided the Lebanese village of Hula, as part of military pressure on the Lebanese authorities in order for them to stop the activities of the terrorists in their area. continue>>
