Prison over return to Gaza: Israeli reservists reject service

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: NBC News
3 Sep 2025 23:53

Israeli reservists, including American-Israeli nurse Max Krich, oppose returning to Gaza amid rising protests and international criticism.

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Israeli soldiers work on their armored vehicles parked in a staging area near the Gaza border, as seen from southern Palestine, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025 (AP)

Israeli reservists are increasingly rejecting the return to combat in the Gaza Strip, a recent report by NBC News revealed, as global outrage mounts over renewed military operations and mass protests erupt across "Israel" demanding the release of captives.

According to the report published Wednesday, NBC spoke with several reservists who had previously served in the military and now express strong reluctance, or outright refusal, to be redeployed to Gaza.

'We are destroying lives in Gaza'

One of the reservists interviewed is Max Krich, a 29-year-old American-Israeli settler who completed his compulsory service in 2018 and served on the northern border with Lebanon. Krich now organizes a group called “Soldiers for Captives.”

Krich voiced alarm over the direction of the war, stating, “The war now poses a direct threat to the future of Israelis.”

He added that the global backlash over the aggression on Gaza has heightened the threat to Israelis and accused the Israeli government of fostering an environment that enables the growth of antisemitism.

“We are destroying the lives of civilians in Gaza, we are killing our own captives, and we know it,” Krich further stated in condemnation of the war.

Another reservist interviewed by NBC, who was called up for service in Gaza just a day prior, said he is still debating whether to respond to the order. When asked about his perception of Gaza, he said disturbingly, “Looking at life in Gaza, we don't see it as life, we see them as insects.”

Meanwhile, Zeev Bogomolny, a settler who previously served in an artillery unit near the Lebanese border, said he would rather go to prison than return to Gaza.

“I am willing to put my life on the line to protect this place, and going to the army now is completely destroying Israel,” he said.

Bogomolny encouraged other reservists to reflect critically on their participation, stating, “After the Hamas attacks, I felt that the right thing to do was to serve, but I think the right thing now is for every soldier, every reservist, to ask themselves why and at what cost they are willing to participate in this war.”

Despite these statements, NBC reported that tens of thousands of reservists are likely to be called up as part of a broader escalation in Gaza assaults. The growing number of dissenting voices, however, indicates a widening rift within "Israel’s" military ranks and society at large.