DUVDEVAN
ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES | UNDERCOVER URBAN WARFARE UNIT
“The Cherry on Top of the Cherry”
Unit Overview
Duvdevan (Hebrew for “Cherry”) is an elite undercover special forces unit of the Israel Defense Forces, specializing in urban warfare, counter-terrorism, and targeted killings in densely populated areas.
The unit operates primarily in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with operators disguising themselves as Palestinian civilians or Israeli Arabs to infiltrate hostile areas and apprehend or eliminate terrorist targets with minimal civilian casualties.
Covert Equipment
- Micro Uzi / Mini Uzi Concealable SMG
- Glock 19 Concealed Pistol
- Civilian Vehicles Modified Cars/Vans
- Concealable Body Armor Low-Visibility Protection
Notable Operations
Duvdevan gained fame during the First Intifada for capturing high-value targets in Palestinian cities while disguised as Arabs.
Intensive operations against suicide bombing networks, capturing or eliminating hundreds of terrorists in West Bank cities.
Search operations for kidnapped Israeli teenagers, leading to the discovery of Hamas networks in the West Bank.
CLASSIFIED: Training & Methods
Duvdevan’s 18-month training includes intensive Arabic language instruction (to native fluency), Palestinian dialect training, Islamic culture and customs, and extensive acting/role-playing exercises. Operators learn to convincingly portray Palestinian civilians, complete with appropriate mannerisms, clothing, and knowledge of local politics.
The unit is known for its “capture or kill” operations, where teams infiltrate hostile neighborhoods in civilian clothing, identify targets, and execute missions with surgical precision. Operators are trained in extreme close-quarters combat, often engaging targets at distances of less than 3 meters. The unit maintains one of the highest operational tempos in the IDF.
