Two Israeli Soldiers Sentenced for Refusing to Join Gaza War

Tel Aviv, MINA – An Israeli military court on Thursday sentenced two soldiers from the Nahal Brigade to prison for refusing to take part in the ongoing war in Gaza.

According to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, despite the army’s commitment to avoid imprisoning soldiers, the two Nahal Brigade soldiers who had been serving in Gaza for the past year and a half were prosecuted after refusing to return to the Gaza Strip due to extreme exhaustion, as reported by Anadolu Agency.

The soldiers were sentenced to 15 and 20 days in prison respectively for disobeying orders to re-enter Gaza.

KAN further reported that the soldiers, who enlisted in August 2022, informed their battalion commander that after prolonged operations, they were suffering from severe fatigue.

Also Read: UN: Gaza Faces Catastrophic Hunger as Israeli Blockade Severely Restricts Aid

Earlier this month, a group of 11 infantry soldiers also submitted a request to their battalion commander asking not to be sent back to Gaza, citing exhaustion. In response, the commander threatened them with 20 days of imprisonment for insubordination.

This is not the first time Israeli soldiers have refused deployment to Gaza. In early May, the Israeli army issued tens of thousands of reserve call-up orders in preparation for a broader offensive in Gaza, according to Israeli media outlets including Yedioth Ahronoth.

Also in May, researchers from Tel Aviv University revealed that around 12% of Israeli reserve soldiers involved in the Gaza war are experiencing severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), rendering them unfit for continued military service, according to Haaretz.

Since October 2023, Israel has launched brutal attacks on Gaza, defying international calls for a ceasefire. These attacks have killed over 54,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children. []

Also Read: Ongoing Israeli Airstrikes Kill Five Civilians, Injure Dozens in Gaza and Khan Younes

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)