The BBC has spoken to Israeli reservists who are refusing to return to the war in Gaza. Imbued with a sense of national duty following the October 7th attack by Hamas, but now troubled by the things they’ve witnessed in Gaza, some Israeli soldiers say they won’t return to the army. We hear from one soldier who compares the devastation inflicted by Israel’s military in the Gaza Strip to an apocalypse, and said his colleagues would routinely loot and vandalise Palestinian houses, claims denied by the Israeli military authorities. BBC special correspondent Fergal Keane has spoken to several of them, and tells our presenter Azadeh Moshiri why their stories reflect deep political divisions which exist within Israeli society. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC journalists worldwide. We want your ideas, stories and experiences to help us understand and tell #TheGlobalStory. Email us at theglobalstory@bbc.com You can also message us or leave a voice note via WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480. Producers: Tom Kavanagh and Alix Pickles Sound engineers: Mike Regaard Assistant editor: Sergi Forcada Freixas Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson
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Hello, I'm Azadeh Mashiri from the BBC World Service.
This is the Global Story.
Before we get started, I should say that this episode contains graphic descriptions of violence which some people may find upsetting today.
The Israeli soldiers refusing to fight in Gaza.
When Hamas attacked the country on October 7th in 2023, many Israelis felt a duty to serve.
The brutal attack killed 1200 people.
And Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organization by several Western governments, also abducted more than 250 people.
But the ongoing Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip which followed has drawn international condemnation.
Israel's military has killed more than 44,000 Palestinians.
Some members of the army now no longer want to fight.
Just try to imagine chaos.
Try to imagine like an apocalypse.
You look to your right, you look to your left, all you see is destroyed buildings.
Those turning their backs on the military are very much in the minority.
But what does their decision tell us about how Israeli society views the war?
And can the pressure they're putting on the government lead to any change of strategy?