More than 365 Israeli reservists have announced that they will refuse to report for military duty, in response to Israel’s plans to take control of Gaza City.
Max Kresch, a combat reservist, stated at a press conference that the war would endanger the lives of hostages and destroy Israeli society, while also causing deaths, injuries, and starvation among Gaza’s civilian population.
“We refuse to participate in Netanyahu’s unlawful war,” Kresch said, emphasizing the moral and societal risks of the ongoing military operations.
Israel has begun mobilizing tens of thousands of reservists as part of its plan to expand the offensive in Gaza City, particularly in the Zeitoun and Shijaiyah neighborhoods, which have been reduced to rubble in recent months.
At least 60,000 reservists will be called up gradually, while the service of 20,000 additional reservists already in duty will be extended. In Israel, most Jewish men serve mandatory military service and remain in the reserves for at least a decade.
The refusal to serve in reserve duty is a criminal offense and can lead to imprisonment, although historically, only a portion of reservists who refused duty during wartime have faced military jail. Anti-war movements are encouraging more reservists to resist the call-ups, though the exact numbers who will refuse remain uncertain.
