The Gaza Division had been entrusted with the safety and security of Jewish settlers in the
Gaza Strip after the
Six-Day War in times of peace and armed conflict. In August 2005, the division, along with the rest of the IDF, officially ended its presence in the Gaza Strip as part of
Israeli unilateral disengagement when
Jewish settlements were dismantled. However, the Gaza Division has repeatedly entered the Gaza Strip in response to rocket attacks from Palestinian militant groups based in Gaza. In September 2015, the division was renamed 143rd "Firefox" Division. In October 2023, the division was part of the
Battle of Re'im where Hamas temporarily took control of the Re'im Army Base and had taken several Israeli soldiers captive, resulting in the death of Lt. Col. Sahar Makhlouf. == Division organization 2025 ==