Hundreds Of IDF Reserve Soldiers Will Reject Gaza Takeover Operation Order

JAKARTA - Hundreds of reserve soldiers who opposed the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) plan to take over Gaza City have announced they will no longer be on duty if called to fight in an ongoing war against Hamas.

"We are more than 365, and continue to grow, soldiers who served during the war and have stated we will not be on duty when called again," First Sergeant (Ret.) Max Kresch told a news conference in Tel Aviv.

"We refuse to take part in Netanyahu's illegal war, and we consider it a patriotic obligation to reject and demand accountability from our leaders," he added.

Kresch, a combat medic, said the group of reserve soldiers and soldiers were the same people who rushed to the front line on October 7 to protect Israel.

"In fact, because of the same sense of responsibility, we were encouraged to refuse," he said.

Meanwhile, First Sergeant Dor Menachem said orders to occupy Gaza's city "dangered the hostages and soldiers themselves," claiming all ranks of the military declared "a firm stance against" the move.

"This step is illogical," he added.

Meanwhile, Captain (Ret.) Ron Feiner, who served as a reserve soldier for 270 days during the war, called the decision made earlier this month to take over Gaza City which many consider the first step to occupy the entire Gaza Strip an "obviously illegal order."

"The decision to occupy Gaza will always be risky for hostages, soldiers and citizens. The decision was given by a mesianik government without public legitimacy, which only prioritizes its own political continuity," he explained.

He noted that many hostages' families had opposed the expansion of the war, fearing military pressure would increase the risk for their loved ones.

"For a mesianik idea like this, we will not be on duty. Here and now we say 'sufficient,'" he said.

It is known that tens of thousands of reserve soldiers began duty on Tuesday ahead of Israel's new attack on Gaza City, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to accelerate, despite warnings from top military officials.

Israeli Army radio said about 40,000 reserve soldiers would serve on Tuesday for the Gaza City attack. The military said it was preparing logistics for the acceptance of reserve soldiers ahead of the attack.

Israel's Security Cabinet, chaired by PM Netanyahu, approved last month's plan to expand operations in Gaza with the aim of capturing Gaza City, where Israeli forces launched a fierce city war with Hamas in the early stages of war.

The meeting of the Security Cabinet on Sunday evening was filled with heated debate between PM Netanyahu and his ministers, who wanted to continue the Gaza City attack, with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, who had urged politicians to reach a ceasefire agreement.

Lieutenant General Zamir said the military operation would endanger the hostages and add to the burden on the already overwhelmed military, according to four ministers and two military officials present at the meeting.

This follows previous heated debate between Lt. Gen. Zamir and Prime Minister Netanyahu's cabinet. PM Netanyahu said on August 20, he gave instructions to speed up the schedule for the seizure of Gaza City, but the next day the military warned the hostages not to harm and said military operations could not start for two months, according to a source in Prime Minister Netanyahu's circle and a defense official.

The main reason the military is, more time is needed for humanitarian efforts. However, surveys show some reserve troops are dissatisfied with the cabinet plan, with some of them taking unusual steps by publicly accusing the government of having no cohesive strategy, postwar plans for Gaza, or a clear winning metric.

"I don't feel like I'm doing anything that really puts a significant pressure on Hamas to release the hostages," a combat reserve soldier who has been on duty in Gaza since October 7 told Reuters, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.