The spread of rats in the housing of female soldiers at an Israeli military base

Tel Aviv - Ofoq News - Female soldiers in the Observer Command Course at the Sarayim military base complained during the last days about the spread of rats inside their residences, where they roam between rooms, climb on beds, and move among their personal belongings. Meanwhile, the family of one of the female soldiers said that the response to repeated complaints was to ask them to show “maturity and patience,” without immediately addressing the problem.

The Israeli website "Ynet" quoted the father of one of the female soldiers as saying that rats kept roaming in the rooms, and that the female soldiers informed the responsible staff more than once, but they did not get a solution, adding that they were forced to look for other places to sleep because of their fears of the presence of rodents.

The father said that his daughter and her colleagues called officials several times since the morning hours, and took pictures of the rats inside the room, explaining that the problem had been going on for several days, but it worsened after the rats began wandering over the beds and among personal belongings.

He added that the female soldiers were initially informed that a specialized agency would be used to hunt rats, but they were later told that the Israeli army was not obligated to bring a specialist for this task.

The father added that the female soldiers felt very afraid, and that the officials asked them to try to sleep in other rooms, while they criticized their actions, considering that they behave like children and must be patient and mature.

"I wouldn't have been as patient or mature if something like that was wandering into my room," he said.

In one case, a female soldier found a rat among her belongings when she reached out to take out a laundry bag, and the officials responded by saying: “Close the closet door, and we will see tomorrow what can be done.”

The father described dealing with complaints as "shameful," saying that the female soldiers approached the sergeant, the platoon commander, and the company commander, but everyone ignored their demands.

He added: "I don't understand how people can be expected to stay in a room where there are rats roaming around."

For its part, the Israeli army said that female soldiers in the Observer Command Course complained in recent days about the presence of a rat in the area of ​​the female soldiers’ housing at the base.

He added in his response that the competent authorities examined the report immediately after receiving it, and provided preliminary means to catch the rat, indicating that a team from the Military Health Department will arrive at the base today, accompanied by a pest control specialist, to address the problem.