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Desalination plant, café resort: How IDF prepares for extended stay in Gaza
[Ynet] Adjacent to a newly operational seawater desalination plant designed to serve soldiers in Gaza, the IDF has constructed a small beachfront retreat for its troops. This unique respite, situated amid the devastation of enemy territory, offers soldiers a rare break from their grueling missions in the Gaza Strip.

The retreat, established 14 months after the tanks and APCs of the Givati and 401st Armored Brigades first breached Gaza's gates on October 27, 2023, is an impressive haven of civilian-style comfort. Set amidst the rubble of the war-torn region, the complex includes artificial turf surrounded by modern, portable buildings. These spaces offer officers and their subordinates a chance to converse in a relaxed, private setting reminiscent of rear-base training facilities in Israel.

Within the facility, soldiers have access to mental health support from counselors and remote consultations with physicians via the Tyto device, as well as on-site care from a nurse and a paramedic. The paramedic, Shami—a 64-year-old reservist and medical assistant at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center—explains, "We have 99% of the medications they might need here. It works well." Nearby, a physical therapist provides massages for sore backs and legs, while a mobile dental clinic, staffed by a young dentist and assistant, offers essential care.
And when they leave — whenever things calm down enough to allow that — they’ll leave it all behind for the locals. Perhaps this time the locals will be smart enough to accept it, instead of smashing it to dust like they did the greenhouses left behind when Ariel Sharon pulled the settlers out.


Posted by: Grom the Reflective 2024-12-24
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=731770