Two Americans serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) say they are prepared for possible orders to go into Gaza to engage in a ground invasion to destroy Hamas.
Ben and Hillel, who are both dual citizens of the U.S. and Israel, were called to the IDF reserves after Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel Oct. 7, killing, raping and kidnapping hundreds of civilians, they told the DCNF. Israeli officials have warned of a possible ground invasion of Gaza by the IDF, according to The Wall Street Journal. (RELATED: ‘Called To Help’: US Veterans Step In To Provide Israeli Military With Lifesaving Medical Aid)
Hillel was visiting the U.S. and observing the Jewish Sabbath when he heard about the surprise Hamas attack. Immediately, he knew he had to go fight.
“I was at the synagogue on Saturday morning, and someone came into the synagogue, she told me about what had happened,” Hillel, who left his wife and ten-month old baby at home in the U.S., told the DCNF.
“We are preparing for all possibilities. My unit has a very specific job … Our main and only goal is to both protect and defend the State of Israel and to make sure that something can never happen again,” Hillel said.
Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant recently told IDF troops mobilized near Gaza to “get organized” and “be ready,” according to CBS News. The IDF ordered Gazans to evacuate to southern Gaza “for their own safety and protection” on Oct. 13?
DCNF reporter Jennie Taer Facetimes with Israeli soldier Ben, while he is in southern Israel.
Israel has called up roughly 300,000 IDF reservists, which makes up roughly roughly 4% of the country’s population, in the wake of the Oct. 7 terrorist invasion, according to the Washington Post. The move marks the country’s largest mobilization of troops since the Yom Kippur war in 1973.
Ben, one of the reservists, told the DCNF that troops were unsure when or if they would get orders to commence a ground invasion. He and his unit are currently stationed near Gaza.
“I mean, to be completely honest, I have no idea. People are talking, maybe it’ll happen, maybe it won’t happen. We’re prepared for it. If we get that order, we will do it,” Ben, who is from California and is serving as a reservist in the IDF, told the DCNF.
Israel doesn’t plan to take control of Gaza after invading and taking out Hamas, according to the Associated Press, which cited comments from Gallant. Israel also doesn’t appear to have a plan for who would take over as the governing authority of Gaza should Hamas be toppled.
“This is not Israel versus Palestine … This is also all Western civilization, all democratic values that we stand for, progressive values and liberal values that we stand for in the Western world against evil and against terrorism and against Hamas,” Ben said. “Hamas is just one leg of the different terror groups that are around in our vicinity. They’re not even the only one within the Gaza Strip, there’s also Palestinian Islamic Jihad.”
Arik, a Green card holder from New Jersey serving in the IDF, wants to go into Gaza to rescue the hostages still being held by Hamas, he told the DCNF.
“I’m feeling very positive about it. I’m feeling that this is the right thing to do. I think we need to destroy Hamas. Israel cannot live with a border with ISIS. We cannot do it because Israel is the most beautiful country in the world and we cannot live with missiles,” Arik, who requested that his last name be withheld due to security concerns, said.
“We need to clear all the tunnels that restore the life to our citizens. And we need to be sure that there is no more missiles, that all the kidnapped are coming back, that all the babies are coming back to the parents. We can’t live with that, we just can’t. It’s not going to be a ceasefire. We need to bring our kids back,” Arik said.
Hamas terrorists took more than 200 hostages into Gaza on Oct. 7.
Meanwhile, Israel continues to strike terrorism targets in Gaza. It has also done the same in Lebanon with Hezbollah terror targets due to attempted attacks on northern Israel residents.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.