Approximately 30 female instructors and recruits at the Sdeh Boker training base in southern Israel have fallen ill in recent days with symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, according to a report published Monday by Lidor Sultan in Hayom newspaper.
The outbreak has led military officials to suspend one of the training courses underway at the facility, while affected soldiers have been sent for medical evaluation. The base, located in the Negev desert, typically hosts orientation programs for prospective recruits but is currently also accommodating some Air Force training courses that were relocated from the Ovda base in the south due to operational constraints. Medical examinations were conducted at the base and deemed mandatory for soldiers to continue their training. A minibus transported soldiers experiencing symptoms to a local clinic for treatment.
One recruit stationed at the facility described unsanitary conditions in the dining hall, stating: "The kitchens here are filthy and full of insects and cockroaches." She added that the illness outbreak did not surprise the soldiers, noting that symptoms had appeared over recent days.
According to her account, once more than 30 soldiers were confirmed ill, sick soldiers were barred from entering the kitchen. She said they expected to receive alternative food arrangements, but instead were given only popsicles.
Military command is examining the possibility that the source of the illness originated in the military kitchen, though no official determination has been made regarding the cause of the symptoms. The Air Force training course at the base has been suspended following the incident, with no announcement yet on when it will resume.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit had not issued a response to the allegations at the time of the report.
