News / Palestine

Sixty Israeli navy commandos sent home with highly contagious infection

Thursday, 17 June 2021 1:19 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 17 June 2021 1:25 PM ]

This undated file picture shows the Israeli Navy’s Shayetet 13 commandos during an exercise in the Israeli-occupied territories. (Photo via Twitter)

Dozens of commandos from one of the Israeli regime's special forces units have been sent home from a training base after they showed symptoms of impetigo – a highly infectious bacterial disease.

According to a report published by the Hebrew-language Israel Hayom daily newspaper on Thursday, some sixty commandos from Shayetet 13 unit of the Israeli Navy were released last week after they complained about skin irritations.

Shayetet 13 unit reportedly specializes in sea-to-land incursions, sabotage, maritime intelligence gathering and boarding. The unit is said to be trained for sea, air and land actions. It has apparently taken part in almost all of the Israeli military onslaughts.

The report added that about 25 soldiers at one of the Israeli naval bases are found to have contracted impetigo.

This is not the first time Israeli soldiers have been infected with impetigo, on army bases of combat units. Experience has shown that the cause is poor hygiene and sanitation conditions.

Back in June 2017, sixty-five Israeli soldiers were sent home on sick leave from Shizafon military base in the southern part of the Israeli-occupied territories.

Others were required to remain in base for fear that they would spread the contagious disease.

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A week later, the Israeli military meted out disciplinary punishments to 48 soldiers after it emerged that they had lied when they complained about contracting impetigo at Shizafon base.

The harshest sentences were given to two soldiers who were dismissed from their combat positions over the incident.

The other 46 soldiers were ordered to remain on base without leave for between 14 and 28 days, the army said.

Impetigo is a bacterial infection of the skin. It usually appears as yellowish crusts on the face, arms, or legs. The lesions may be painful or itchy. Doctors use antibiotics to treat the contagious disease.

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