The IDF has “unveiled” what it call its best combat weapon – hands and feet used in “Krav Maga’ hand-to-hand combat training.

Krav Maga is intensive – and a bit dangerous. “Every combat soldier remembers the trials and tribulations of their basic training, yet some soldiers elect to further their training and attend the five-week long Krav Maga instructors’ course,” the IDF reported on its blog.  

The cadets – women as well as men – are divided into pairs and begin with attempts in stabbing one another with plastic knives. To thwart the attacker, anything goes, including striking “below the belt” with a punch or a kick.

“The course is valuable to both our men and women soldiers since the kidnapping alert has been on the rise due to the generous terms applied in the Gilad Shalit deal,” the IDF said.

Not everyone was able to finish the course—there were eight dropouts.

“The goal of the course is not necessarily to be the best in Krav Maga, but rather future instructors must be able to transfer messages and guidance to those who are in danger every day,” explained course commander Second Lieutenant, Nir Inbar.

Arutz Sheva reported two months ago that the IDF is intensively training soon-to-be officers with hand-to-combat in the face of a high motivation by terrorists to kidnap them.