Three IDF Soldiers Imprisoned and Dismissed After Refusing to Fight in Gaza

Three active-duty IDF soldiers who refused to fight in the Gaza Strip were sent to military prison and dismissed from combat duty, the IDF announced on Sunday.

The three were sentenced to prison after meeting with a mental health officer who determined that they were fit to participate in combat.

All three maintained their refusal to enter Gaza despite being deemed fit to serve.

According to the Kan public broadcaster, which first reported the story, the three had fought in Gaza for several months and claimed they were experiencing a "deep internal crisis" due to the loss of many friends and the difficult experiences they endured during the fighting.

The report also noted that another soldier from their battalion has similarly refused to return to combat in Gaza but has not yet been tried.

The IDF said in a statement that it "is working to achieve the objectives of the war and views refusal to obey orders very seriously, especially during combat."

According to Kan, one of the imprisoned soldiers was wounded in combat about a year ago, underwent rehabilitation, and voluntarily returned to active duty before eventually refusing to redeploy.

The Mothers of IDF Soldiers movement said in a statement that "When soldiers repeatedly cry out that they can no longer continue, this is not a 'disciplinary issue.' It is a damning indictment of a system that has pushed its people to the edge of their strength.

"The fact that the IDF frames these incidents as 'refusal to follow orders' only underscores the failure of a policy that does not sufficiently see and support its soldiers," the statement continued.

The movement called on the IDF's leadership and the government to "urgently change their approach and to treat these cases for what they truly are: fighters who need support, not criminals who deserve punishment."