Ultra-religious Jews may begin to be drafted into the Israeli army

Ultra-religious Jews who are normally exempt from military service may begin to be drafted into the Israeli army, TASS reports, citing a statement by Israeli Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari.

According to him, the Israeli army receives many applications for mobilization into the army from this category of citizens. In the current situation, the country’s military department is preparing to develop a procedure for recruiting persons belonging to ultra-religious Jews.

It is also noted that there are quite a lot of reservists who are ready to be called up for military service and sent to combat units. Hagari said “hundreds of thousands” of reservists and conscripts are preparing for the operation in the Gaza Strip.

On the morning of October 7, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented-scale rocket attack from the Gaza Strip as part of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, announced by the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement. At the same time, organized groups of Hamas fighters began to penetrate into Israeli territory, who easily overcame the first line of defense of the Israeli army, took hostages and caused serious damage. Israel later launched Operation Iron Swords, attacking the Gaza Strip and cutting off all supplies of water, food, electricity, medicine and fuel.

At the moment, the number of deaths from Israeli army strikes in the Gaza Strip has exceeded 4,100, including 19 Russian citizens, and the number of wounded has exceeded 13 thousand. In addition, Hamas militants may be holding up to 150 Israelis hostage.

The Russian Foreign Ministry called on the parties to stop all hostilities. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that a resolution to this crisis is possible only on the basis of a “two-state” formula approved by the UN Security Council, that is, the creation of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem.