Bislamach Brigade

{{Short description|Israeli military unit}}

{{Refimprove|date=December 2009}}

{{Infobox military unit

| unit_name = Bislamach Brigade

| native_name = ביסלמ"ח

| image = Bislamah newest.png

| image_size = 170px

| caption = Insignia of the School

| dates = 1974–present

| country = {{flag|Israel}}

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| type = Training

| size =

| command_structure = Infantry Corps

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| battles = {{tree list}}

• Gaza war
• Battle of Zikim
• Battle of Hamad
• Rafah offensive
• Killing of Yahya Sinwar

{{tree list/end}}

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}}

The Bislamach{{efn|Abbreviation from School for Infantry Corps Professions and Squad Commanders ({{langx|he|בית ספר למקצועות חיל הרגלים ומפקדי חוליות|Beit Sefer LiMfakde Kitot UMiktzo'ot Heil HaRaglim}}}} ({{langx|he|ביסלמ"ח}}) is the Israel Defense Forces body responsible for the training of all Infantry Corps squad commanders and platoon sergeants.

Established in 1974 under the command of {{Interlanguage link|Yaakov Hasdai|he|יעקב חסדאי}}, {{cite web|url=http://mazi.idf.il/4348-he/IGF.aspx|title=Israel Ground Forces official site|accessdate=18 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110820204029/http://mazi.idf.il/4348-he/IGF.aspx|archive-date=20 August 2011|url-status=dead}} the school comprises three operative battalions (17th, 906th, and 450th), ordinarily used for training. During wars or emergencies, as was the case during the Yom Kippur War, these serve as fully operational combat forces. Since 2006 these battalions form the 828th Brigade (formerly 772th Brigade), referred to as the Bislamach Brigade (formerly called Bislach Brigade).

The school has three bases, all located in the Negev. In wartime the School formes the Infantry Brigade "Bislamach".

Before Operation Rainbow, during the Al-Aqsa Intifada, the brigade's soldiers participated in searching the Philadelphi Route for the bodies of the soldiers from the Sayeret Yahalom, who were killed during the armoured personnel carrier disaster of May 11–12, 2004. They also took part in the Gaza disengagement plan, following which they were the first to hold the border with the Gaza Strip.

The 17th Battalion of the brigade was involved in combat in the Battle of Zikim, claiming to have killed four militants at Zikim Beach in a video posted to social media on 10 October 2023.{{Cite web | url=https://observers.france24.com/en/middle-east/20231013-israeli-army-tweets-video-that-appears-to-show-soldiers-shooting-palestinians-who-surrendered | publisher=France 24|date=13 October 2023|title=Israeli army tweets video that appears to show soldiers shooting Palestinians who surrendered}}

The unit later saw action in the Bureij Camp in late December 2023.{{Cite web | url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-december-26-2023/ | publisher=The Times of Israel |date= 26 December 2023|title=Dec. 26: Qatar says Biden and emir discussed efforts to broker permanent ceasefire in Gazasurrendered}} At the start of March the unit replaced the 89th paratroopers brigade in Khan Younis.{{Cite web | url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/replacing-the-paratroopers-brigade-idfs-bislamach-brigade-joins-fighting-in-khan-younis/ | publisher=The Times of Israel |date= 1 March 2024|title=Replacing the Paratroopers Brigade, IDF's Bislamach Brigade joins fighting in Khan Younis}} In May of the same year, the unit saw action in North Gaza.{{Cite web | url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/soldier-killed-in-accident-on-gaza-border-as-gallant-sends-more-troops-to-rafah/ | publisher=The Times of Israel |date= 1 March 2024|title=Soldier killed in accident on Gaza border as Gallant sends more troops to Rafah}}

On October 16, 2024, the 17th Battalion Brigade unexpectedly encountered Yahya Sinwar in Rafah,{{Cite news |date=17 October 2024 |title='High likelihood' Hamas leader and Oct. 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar killed by troops in Gaza |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/high-likelihood-hamas-leader-oct-7-mastermind-yahya-sinwar-killed-by-troops-in-gaza/ |work=Times of Israel}} and killed him in a shootout;{{Cite web |title=How Hamas leader Sinwar was killed: an AK-47, a tactical vest, and who was with him - Türkiye Today |url=https://www.turkiyetoday.com/region/how-hamas-leader-sinwar-was-killed-an-ak-47-a-tactical-vest-and-who-was-with-him-66672/ |access-date=2024-10-17 |language=en-US}} his identity was determined after the firefight via DNA matching and dental records.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-17 |title=Update from Aric Toler, Riley Mellen and Christiaan Triebert |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/10/17/world/israel-lebanon-iran-gaza-news/6fca9f28-9891-5b35-b334-79377d7fc4db?smid=url-share |website=The New York Times}}{{Cite web |date=2024-10-17 |title=Update from Aaron Boxerman |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/10/17/world/israel-lebanon-iran-gaza-news/70cc3564-2986-5b59-b61a-248e5a9064c9?smid=url-share |website=The New York Times}}{{Cite web |last=Tamari |first=Liran |date=2024-10-17 |title=Police forensic unit confirms Yahya Sinwar's identity through fingerprints |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/category/3089#bj7v2trj1x |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=ynetnews |language=en}}