6/26/2024–|Last updated: 6/26/202409:48 AM (Mecca time)
The Israeli Walla website said that the army is suffering from a shortage of soldiers, and is seeking to form a new division to carry out various tasks.
The website added that the army will name the division “David Division,” and it will include male and female soldiers who have reached exemption age, volunteers, and members of the Haredim, and thus the army may be able to recruit 40,000 fighters.
The website quoted army sources as saying that recruiting fighters may contribute to several tasks, including border and West Bank security, and a multi-front war in the future.
The Israeli Walla website also reported that field surveys revealed a state of anxiety among reserve soldiers about the Israelis returning to their normal lives at a time when the soldiers continue to fight.
Surveys confirmed that soldiers criticize the state of uncertainty regarding the continuation of their service, their bearing a heavy burden, and their exposure to fatigue.
The website said that there is great anxiety among reserve soldiers due to fear of the repercussions of continued fighting on their personal, family, and work lives.
Withdrawal of soldiers
In a related context, 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.
On the other hand, announced Israeli army data revealed that the death toll in the Gaza Strip amounted to 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.
