Israeli soldiers refuse to return to Gaza

Israeli Channel 11 (Kan) reported today (Sunday) that four Israeli soldiers who had previously served in Gaza and witnessed casualties and difficult experiences have stated that they are unable to go back.

According to the report, three of these soldiers have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 7 to 12 days, while the case of the fourth soldier has not yet been finalized. All four have been suspended from participating in future combat missions.

Kan noted that the decision to refuse returning to Gaza was discussed directly between the soldiers and their commanders. The four soldiers were aware of the consequences — including imprisonment — and had expressed their readiness to accept the punishment.

The three sentenced soldiers claimed that their refusal was not out of fear, but due to psychological trauma and mental health issues.

However, the Israeli army spokesperson stated that these three soldiers had undergone psychological evaluations by mental health officers before their sentencing and were deemed fit for combat.

The army added that despite disciplinary action, the soldiers continued to insist on disobeying orders, and were therefore imprisoned as punishment.