20 Israeli soldiers refuse to return to Gaza, face trial

JERUSALEM

Twenty Israeli soldiers from an infantry brigade have refused to return to combat in Gaza, and some have been informed that they will face a military trial if they do not comply, the Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported Wednesday.

The agency noted that around 10 soldiers received notifications on Tuesday indicating that they would face trial for disobeying military orders if they did not agree to return to the Gaza Strip.

Some soldiers have indicated that after 10 months of fighting in Gaza, they are no longer able to return but are willing to take on other duties.

Similar reports of difficulties are emerging from additional battalions in other brigades fighting in the sector.

The families of some of the soldiers have indicated that their sons are being forced to enter ground maneuvers in Gaza or else face imprisonment, which they find unacceptable.

The families added that only a few capable soldiers remain in their unit and they see this as their time to help their children confront a system that seems indifferent to their plight.

In response, an Israeli army spokesperson said that military leaders are working hard to support and assist soldiers in fulfilling their various operational tasks.

The spokesperson also said that no punitive actions, including imprisonment, will be taken against the soldiers.

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, regularly reports Israeli soldiers being killed or injured in significant operations in Gaza.

Israeli officials have repeatedly stated that the army is engaged in intense fighting with Palestinian fighters in the sector and is paying a steep price.

According to the latest update from the Israeli army's website on Wednesday, the number of Israeli casualties since the start of the war on Gaza on Oct. 7 last year has reached 704 officers and soldiers, including 339 since the beginning of the Israeli ground invasion on the 27th of the same month.

The total number of wounded officers and soldiers since the war began stands at 4,398, with 2,262 of the injuries occurring since the start of the ground invasion.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul