The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that dozens of reserve soldiers announced that they would not return to military service in Gaza even if they were to be punished.
This comes at a time when Israeli media reported that hundreds of reserve soldiers in the Israeli army leave abroad every month without informing their commanders, in light of the continuing war on Gaza, where the occupation forces have suffered heavy losses over the past months.
The General Assembly of the Israeli Knesset approved, in the first reading, on Monday evening, a draft law temporarily raising the age of exemption from army reserve service.
Haaretz newspaper indicated that the draft law aims to prevent the discharge of reserve soldiers who are close to the age of exemption, and who are currently participating in combat.
The draft law stipulates that reserve soldiers will serve until the age of 41 years, instead of the current 40 years, and that reserve officers will serve until the age of 46 years instead of 45 years.
It also stipulates raising the age of exemption in some professions or jobs specified by a decision of the Minister of Defense in the Reserve Corps to 50 years, instead of 49 years, including combat doctors, paramedics, and technicians, according to the same source.
3 readings
The draft law requires a vote on it on three readings to become an effective law, and if this happens, the validity of the temporary legislation will be extended for a period of 3 months until September 30, 2024.
According to the Hebrew website Calcalist, Communications Minister Shlomo Rahi presented the draft law on behalf of Defense Minister Yoav Galant, who is currently visiting Washington.
Karrai said that given the emergency mobilization and the significant contribution of reserve soldiers to combat efforts, the demobilization of thousands of reserve soldiers in combat and combat support roles could cause great harm to the army’s operational efficiency and combat ability.
According to Israeli army data announced as of Sunday evening, the death toll in the Gaza Strip reached 665 soldiers and officers since the beginning of the war on October 7, including 313 killed since the beginning of the ground war that broke out on October 27.
Data also indicate that 3,894 officers and soldiers were injured since the beginning of the war, including 1,977 in ground battles.
The army faces local accusations of concealing a larger toll of its dead and wounded.
