Israeli Army Halts All Training After Fatal Accidents Amid Gaza War
A wave of deadly incidents, including friendly fire and fatal mishaps, prompts military-wide suspension of training as Israel continues its war on Gaza.
Watan-On Sunday, the Israeli Chief of Staff ordered the suspension of all training exercises across army units following a series of “serious incidents,” including the deaths of soldiers and accidental shootings.
According to the official broadcasting authority: “Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi (noting the previous name mentioned may be incorrect) has ordered a comprehensive halt to training in all army units after a series of serious incidents.”
It explained that these incidents “occurred over recent weeks and involved soldier fatalities and ammunition mishaps, with an emphasis on the priority of safeguarding soldiers’ lives.”
The report added that the incidents also included “unintentional gunfire from a medium machine gun inside a Namer armored vehicle, and a military vehicle hitting a landmine in the north.”
Other accidents included “an armored personnel carrier overturning into a water canal, a soldier falling into a well, as well as additional cases of accidental firing of shells and bullets,” according to the authority.
The army command stated that this pause in training activities will continue until Monday and “aims to reinforce safety procedures to protect soldiers’ lives, especially amid the conditions of war and ongoing field engagement,” the authority added.
This decision comes at a time when the Israeli army, with full U.S. support, has been committing acts of genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023.
