Infantry soldiers in the IDF have a history of hazing<\/a> new recruits and of deserting en masse over alleged mistreatment by commanders.<\/p>\n The Givati soldiers\u2019 commander gave them until 4 p.m. to return to Sde Teiman or face punishment. The names of soldiers who failed to show up would be forwarded to the Military Police for further handling, the officer said in a message to the troops.<\/p>\n \u201cAt exactly 16:00, there will be a check in the company to see who has remained\/returned,\u201d read the message. \u201cAnyone who has not returned by 16:00 will be immediately classified as AWOL.\u201d<\/p>\n \u05e9\u05d5\u05d1 \u05de\u05e8\u05d3 \u05d1\u05d7\u05d8\u05d9\u05d1\u05ea \u05d2\u05d1\u05e2\u05ea\u05d9: \u05d4\u05d5\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05dc\u05d5\u05d7\u05de\u05d9\u05dd \u05de\u05d2\u05d3\u05d5\u05d3 \u05e9\u05e7\u05d3 \u05e9\u05d9\u05e6\u05d0\u05d5 \u05de\u05dc\u05d1\u05e0\u05d5\u05df \u05d1\u05d9\u05de\u05d9\u05dd \u05d4\u05d0\u05d7\u05e8\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd \u05d8\u05d5\u05e2\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd \u05db\u05d9 \u05d4\u05dd \u05d4\u05d7\u05dc\u05d9\u05d8\u05d5 \u05e2\u05dc \u05de\u05e8\u05d3 \u05d5\u05d4\u05e0\u05d9\u05d7\u05d5 \u05d0\u05ea \u05e0\u05e9\u05e7\u05dd \u05dc\u05d0\u05d7\u05e8 \u05e9\u05d4\u05de\u05d2”\u05d3 \u05d4\u05d5\u05e8\u05d4 \u05dc\u05d4\u05e8\u05d5\u05e1 \u05dc\u05d4\u05dd \u05d0\u05ea \u05e4\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d6\u05d9\u05db\u05e8\u05d5\u05df \u05e9\u05dc \u05d4\u05d2\u05d3\u05d5\u05d3 \u05d5\u05d3\u05d2\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05d6\u05db\u05e8\u05d5\u05e0\u05d5\u05ea \u05e9\u05dc\u05d4\u05dd@ela1949<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/J7WLkcjkuG<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 \u05db\u05d0\u05df \u05d7\u05d3\u05e9\u05d5\u05ea (@kann_news) July 30, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n By the evening, most of the troops had returned to the base, aside from one platoon, the military said.\n<\/p>\n The IDF said the troops who led the desertion will be sentenced by the commander of the brigade, Col. Netanel Shamaka. The soldiers from the platoon who had not returned were expected to be declared AWOL and be handled by the Military Police.<\/p>\n Regarding the battalion commander who took down decorative signs the troops had put up, the military said it backed his conduct.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Shamaka and his commander, 162nd Division commander Brig. Gen. Sagiv Dahan, arrived at the Sde Teiman base to speak with the soldiers regarding the incident.<\/p>\n \t In a missive to troops, Shamaka said: \u201cDuring the war, you proved your commitment to the mission. You fought bravely, risked your lives across all combat sectors.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPrecisely out of this deep appreciation and gratitude, the disciplinary incident that recently took place in the Tzabar Battalion is a grave event that has no place in the IDF in general, nor in the Givati Brigade in particular,\u201d the Givati Brigade commander wrote of the walk-out.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the IDF, there is no place for damage to discipline, the authority of commanders, or the fundamental norms upon which our fighting force relies. The incident will be handled with utmost seriousness by the commanders. It will be dealt with out of responsibility and care for the soldiers, but also out of a commitment to set a clear, uncompromising standard,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tWeapons left behind by troops of the Givati Brigade\u2019s Tzabar Battalion at the Sde Teiman base in southern Israel, July 30, 2026; a sign belonging to troops that was smashed by their commander. (Social media, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)<\/p>\n
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