Meet foreign mercenaries hired by Israel to slaughter people in Gaza and Lebanon

By Alireza Akbari

Exactly 400 days into the genocidal war against brave and unyielding Palestinians in Gaza, the Israeli military has suffered enormously with conscripts refusing to turn up for military duty.

As per admissions of the Israeli political and military leadership - both past and present - the military objectives have not been achieved in Gaza more than 13 months since the war was launched and despite the world's largest open-air concentration camp turning into the world's biggest cemetery.

Tens of thousands of settlers have reportedly fled the occupied territories to avoid mandatory military duties while many have refused to don the military uniform in a show of defiance.

To hire personnel, the regime issued recruitment orders to Haredi youth—traditionally exempted from compulsory service—but only managed to enlist fewer than 4 percent of the 3,000 individuals.

To fill the vacuum created by the Israeli settlers, the regime has hired tens of thousands of foreign mercenaries to fight against the Palestinian resistance fighters in the coastal territory. 

These foreign mercenaries are hired through programs such as Mahal and Lone Soldiers.

The Mahal initiative permits young Jews from abroad to serve in the Israeli army without needing to immigrate, while Lone Soldiers—who lack immediate family in Israel—receive specialized support, including housing, financial assistance, and social services.

Reports indicate that foreign recruits typically receive compensation comparable to that of regular IOF soldiers. However, some mercenaries are reportedly earning much higher wages, with weekly payments reaching approximately $4,300. 

Most of these foreign mercenaries were recruited by the Israeli regime specifically to fight its dirty genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, enticed by promises of substantial monetary benefits and Israeli citizenship.

Some of those recruited for this war on Gaza have completed their short-term contracts and returned to their respective countries. 

However, most others who accepted the regime's citizenship offer chose to stay.

This is precisely what sets them apart from regular Israeli settlers or conscripted soldiers who have become increasingly disillusioned and are unwilling to fight in a losing cause.

Press TV website analysis revealed that mercenaries fighting the Israeli regime's war in Gaza, as well as in Lebanon, belong to different countries - from Asia to Africa to Latin America to Europe to the US.

Mercenaries fighting for Israeli occupation

A Twitter account named "Israel Genocide Tracker" has been publishing the names of foreign nationals involved in Israel’s ongoing genocidal war in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. 

Press TV website analyzed and examined all these cases of foreign mercenaries enrolled by the Israeli regime, who have been documenting their horrendous war crimes on social media platforms.

Ilay Trabelsi is of North African descent. He has been fighting in the Israeli military's Givati Battalion and has shared images showcasing his involvement in genocidal crimes in Gaza.

Amit Gendler is a mercenary of Russian descent. He has served in the Givati 435th Rotem Battalion of the Israeli occupation military. He ruthlessly vandalized Palestinian homes amid the genocidal war on Gaza and documented the war crimes himself.

Avior Alamo is an Israeli reservist of Ethiopian origin. He is currently serving in the Givati's 432nd Infantry Battalion "Tzabar" and is involved in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza.

He shared a video of himself indiscriminately firing his machine gun at civilians for amusement.

Or Yossef is an Israeli military reservist of Ethiopian descent. Yossef has documented his role in the Golani Brigade during the genocide in Gaza.

He posted images of an invasion of a hospital, where he kidnapped Palestinians seeking refuge. He is also accused of participating in the destruction of homes and schools in Jabalia, as well as the invasion of southern Lebanon, raiding and looting the homes of displaced Lebanese before detonating them.

Following his reserve service, he is reported to be vacationing in Prague, Czech Republic.

Dan Nahmani is an Israeli American soldier. He served in Givati's 424th Infantry Battalion "Shaked" amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the occupation of Rafah Crossing in southern Gaza.

Shalev Zino is an Israeli military reservist of North African heritage. He served with the Givati Brigade's 424 Battalion of the Israeli military during the current genocidal war on Gaza.

He has posted images that showcase his military unit occupying and demolishing the homes of displaced Palestinians.

Liad Ohayon is of Moroccan origin. He served in the Givati Brigade's Shaked Battalion during the genocide in Gaza. He and others from his unit took a vacation in Austria following their service.

He, along with other occupation soldiers, celebrated the completion of their military service on the Al-Azhar University campus, which had been used as a military base and was subsequently detonated upon their withdrawal from there.

Asaf Paz is an Israeli-Argentinian reservist. He served as a gunner in Givati's 435th Battalion during the genocide in Gaza. His battalion occupied a school, forcibly evicting and kidnapping displaced Palestinian families seeking refuge there and converting it for military use.

Tamir Camisa is of Italian descent. He documented his role as a gunner in the Latak Unit of Givati's 435th Battalion during the Gaza genocide.

He and his unit have been engaged in ethnic cleansing in Jabalia. He also shared his GoPro footage of raiding displaced Palestinian homes and randomly shooting during the invasion of Deir al-Balah and Khan Yunis in northern and southern Gaza respectively.

Gilad Geller is an American-Israeli reservist who served as a gunner in the 35th Paratroopers Brigade during the genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.

Aviv Sadot is an Israeli occupation soldier of European origin. He served in the Givati Brigade’s 435th Rotem Battalion during the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Danny Nagoso is an Israeli-Ethiopian soldier from the Givati 435th Rotem Battalion. Nagoso documented his participation in the Gaza genocide. After completing his military duties in Gaza, Danny and his squad went on vacation to Amsterdam.

Mori Ben Salmon is an Israeli soldier of British descent. He served in the 12th Infantry Battalion 'Barak' during the ongoing genocide in Gaza and took part in the invasion of Yaroun in southern Lebanon as well, according to available evidence. 

Elie Timsit is a French-Israeli reservist from the 890th Battalion of the Paratroopers Brigade. Timsit participated in the genocide in Gaza and documented his own crimes. 

Shalev Mekonen is an Israeli-Ethiopian reservist. He served in the Givati Brigade's 424th Battalion during the ongoing Gaza genocide and expressed a desire to be deployed to Gaza for "revenge."

Noga Pashchur is an Israeli captain and spy officer of Slavic origin. She accompanied the 401st Armored Brigade during the Gaza genocide.

She shared images from a desecrated mosque and documented the Israeli military raids of schools and universities in the Palestinian territory following the bombardments. 

Zohar Yossef is an Israeli reservist of Mexican descent. He served in the 35th Paratroopers Brigade, known as "Tzanchanim," during the genocide in Gaza, where he documented his involvement in the ongoing war crimes against Palestinians in the area.

Ilan Baya is an Israeli-Kenyan reservist and infantryman in the 12th Battalion, Known by his nickname 'Barak,' he was part of the notorious Golani Brigade and was involved in a range of horrendous war crimes in Gaza, occupied West Bank and southern Lebanon.

Yagel Eliya Camos: is originally from Argentina. Camos served in the Shaked Battalion of the Givati Brigade during the ongoing genocidal war on Gaza. After completing his mercenary duties, he and fellow soldiers attended music festivals in Europe and traveled to Greece.

Yagel Shneour is an Israeli soldier of Belarusian origin. He served in the Shaked Battalion of the Givati Brigade, posting images that show his military unit taking over a school as a military base after forcibly removing displaced Palestinians.

Yuval Richman is an American reservist. Richman served in the Givati Brigade’s 424th Battalion and was involved in war crimes that included taking photos inside displaced Palestinians' homes before setting them ablaze.

David Dobensky is an Israeli soldier of American descent. Dobensky served in the 202nd Paratroopers, 'Viper' Battalion during the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Matan Dahan is an Israeli-American military commander. He served in the 890th Battalion of the Paratroopers Brigade during the ongoing genocidal war on Gaza.

Assaf Ravem is an Israeli soldier of Colombian descent. He publicly boasted about his military service in the Givati Battalion and crimes amid the ongoing Gaza genocide.

Tal Matza is an Israeli-American reservist. He expressed joy and pride in his participation in the Gaza genocidal campaign, documenting his involvement before vacationing in Athens, Greece.

Refael Swisa is an American-Israeli reservist who participated in the Gaza genocide by operating a D9 bulldozer. He has described the destruction of Palestinian neighborhoods as a "big trip."

Swisa later attended the Ozora Music Festival in Hungary after completing his military service.

Itzkhak Chawngthum is an Israeli reservist of Indian origin who served in the Latak Unit in southern Lebanon, where he was associated with a battalion that published footage of indiscriminately firing grenades at civilian homes and destroying them.

Fkado Wondmagen is an Israeli-Ethiopian reservist from the 22nd Paratroopers. He documented his role in the Gaza genocide, referring to the ongoing war crimes in Gaza as a "Liberation holiday."

He also celebrated the end of his reserve duty before returning to Ethiopia.

Jonathan Etzioni is an American-Israeli reservist who has served in the Nahal Brigade in the occupied West Bank during the genocide in Gaza.

Omer Lugasi is an Australian reservist who documented his involvement in crimes in the occupied West Bank, storming Palestinian homes at night and posing for pictures with kidnapped civilians.

Originally from Hungary, he currently resides in Melbourne, Australia, after completing his service.

Afik Zabloski is an Israeli-Brazilian soldier from the Nahal Brigade. Zabloski shared images from his post at the Nahal Oz military checkpoint, showcasing a Palestinian youth they had kidnapped from Gaza—depicted as naked, blindfolded, and with hands bound.

Lior Eliyahu Svirgo is an Israeli-Azerbaijani reservist who was identified as having participated in the genocide in Gaza while serving in the Alon Battalion 8717.

Ruslan Mince is an Israeli-Russian reservist. He documented incidents of indiscriminate gunfire and the demolition of Palestinian neighborhoods in Gaza while serving in the Alon Battalion 8717, alongside soldiers of Russian and Balkan origin.

Max Khonin is an Israeli-Russian reservist in the Alon Battalion 8717 who participated in the ongoing genocide in Gaza and documented his crimes.

Justin Flores is a Philippine reservist and captain in the Military Logistics Corps. He proudly shared his involvement in the genocide in Gaza.

Yarin Barenboim is an Israeli reservist of Russian descent serving with the 35th Paratroopers Brigade. He posted about his participation in the genocide in Gaza.

Maxim Kiselman is an Israeli reservist of Ukrainian origin. He filmed the destruction of Palestinian homes while serving in the Combat Engineering Corps during the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Ilan Dukan is an Israeli-French reservist from the 35th Paratroopers Brigade. He has been involved in the ongoing genocide in Gaza and has chronicled his own crimes. 

Paz Zrihen is an Israeli-French soldier. He documented his involvement in the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in different parts of Gaza.

John Bruk is an Israeli-Russian reservist. He served in the Israeli occupation army during the genocide in Gaza, participating in demolishing and setting fire to the homes of displaced Palestinians in Gaza City among other areas.

Justin Salt is an American-Israeli combat medic who served during the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Etan Dadoun is an American-Israeli from the Nahal Brigade. He expressed feelings of privilege regarding his role in the genocide in Gaza.

Kfir Volter is a Hungarian soldier from the Nahal Brigade's 931st Battalion. 

Volter shared images documenting his involvement in the invasion of Gaza City and the occupation of homes belonging to displaced Palestinians before setting them ablaze.

Moshe Ananya is an Israeli-Ethiopian reservist from the Givati Brigade. 

Ananya posed for photos amid the ruins of Gaza City to document his role in the genocide. After completing his service there, he vacationed in Lindos, Greece.

Sela Noff is an American soldier from the 444th Mobility Unit. Noff participated in the genocide in Gaza and documented his own crimes against Palestinians. 

Itay Meyer is of German descent from the Givati Battalion. He served at the Kerem Shalom base where aid and food were prohibited from entering for Palestinians amid ongoing genocide.

Eli Amayev is an Israeli-Russian reservist. He documented his service in military logistics units during the genocide in Gaza. He is now back in Russia after finishing his military service.

Or Volozhinsky is the Israeli commander of the 188th Armored Brigade of Russian origin. Lieutenant Colonel Volozhinsky oversaw offensives that resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians due to his battalion's indiscriminate shelling in northern Gaza and Khan Yunis.

Adi Degani is a Colombian military reservist. He served in the 188th Armored Brigade during its devastating offensives in northern Gaza and Khan Yunis.

He is currently deployed with the same brigade in the ground offensives in southern Lebanon.

Ophir Nagar is an American D9 operator. Nagar has documented his role in the genocide in Gaza by bulldozing entire neighborhoods while serving in the Israeli occupation forces.

He also shared his involvement in the Gaza genocide on Instagram. He has now returned to New York.  

Noam Michaeli is an American who has been identified as a participant in the ongoing genocide in Gaza through images he shared on social media.

Yair Moguiliansky is an Argentinian reservist in the Combat Engineering Corps. 

Moguiliansky posted images from Khan Yunis while rigging homes of displaced Palestinians with explosives before detonating them.

Patrick Schmitt is an Israeli-Russian reservist who served in an Engineering Battalion of the Israeli military during the genocide in Gaza.

Vlad Krivchansky is an Israeli-Russian reservist and photographer. He created video montages showcasing the destruction of homes and neighborhoods belonging to displaced Palestinians while serving in Gaza's Engineering Unit.

Shaked Zamir is an Israeli-European soldier from the 890th Paratrooper Battalion. He documented his involvement in the genocide in Gaza.

Shalev Smetanka is an American-Israeli reservist who is identified as a commander during the genocide in Gaza. He has since returned to his hometown of New York.

Kamin Kakhel is an Israeli-Indian reservist. He recorded his involvement in storming displaced Palestinian homes while serving in Gaza as a mercenary.

Shai Shoshana is an Israeli reservist of Tunisian descent from the 'Cat' D9 company.

He shared footage of raiding and destroying Palestinian neighborhoods in Gaza. He also posted a video joking about the destruction of a home and questioning the lack of electricity.

Itamar Azulay is an Israeli-Moroccan reservist from the Nahal Brigade. He revealed that his battalion occupied a school as a military base during their genocide in Gaza.

Tal Hauslich is an American-Israeli reservist. He was identified as having served during the genocide in Gaza. He is now back in the United States.  

Lior Segal is an Israeli reservist of Russian origin. He documented his military service during the genocide in Gaza and expressed feeling "privileged" to serve the occupation.

Tomer Cohen moved from the US as part of the "Shinshinim programs" through The Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford in 2017. 

Cohen shared posts detailing his involvement in the ongoing Gaza genocide.       

Vlad Sandler is a Russian-Israeli soldier from the Golani Brigade. Sandler participated in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Hao Khohk is an Israeli soldier of Myanmar origin. He served alongside the Israeli occupation forces during the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Sruli Wiener is an American-Israeli from Allentown, Pennsylvania. Wiener has been identified as a member of the Israeli occupation forces during the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Or Tziter is an Israeli soldier of British descent from the Nahal Brigade's 931st Battalion. Tziter documented his military service as well as horrendous war crimes in Gaza.

Noam Cohen is an American-Israeli soldier from the 931st Battalion. He shared accounts of his military service during the invasion of northern and central Gaza City.

Shay Spivak is an Israeli soldier of Russian origin. He served during the initial weeks of the invasion in northern Gaza, defecating inside homes belonging to displaced Palestinians.

Gilad Gross is an Israeli sniper of European descent. Gross posted images from northern Gaza where he occupied apartments of displaced Palestinians while sniping at individuals during his service.

Samuel Biba is an Israeli reservist of South African origin from the Nahal Brigade's 931st Battalion. Biba documented his service during the invasion of the Jabalia refugee camp, where hundreds of Palestinians were killed and thousands of homes destroyed.

Rom Ben Zeev is an Israeli-American reservist from the Nahal Brigade's 50th Battalion. Ben Zeev shared his involvement in the Gaza genocide which included dancing with fellow soldiers inside a home belonging to displaced Palestinians.

An American-Israeli reservist known as "life_of_kazu" on TikTok posted footage from his service as a combat medic in Gaza, showing him shooting at neighborhoods and playing around with other soldiers inside a hospital after forcibly evicting Palestinians.

Israeli reservists Max Scheinfeld and Noam Witzman have been identified as currently serving in the 401st Brigade in Rafah, south of Gaza.

Dudi Rali is an Israeli reservist of Indian descent. He proudly shared footage from his service in Gaza.

Jonathan Ohayon is an American-Israeli combat medic. He posted images documenting his involvement in the genocide in Gaza.

Daniel Zaga is an American-Israeli reservist who boasted about his participation in the genocide in Gaza.

Takala Sowgin is an Israeli-Ethiopian reservist who documented his role in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Maya Radoszkowicz is an American-Israeli model who posted Islamophobic and disturbing footage on Instagram showcasing her role in the Israeli occupation army during the Gaza genocide.  

Lidor Shookroon is an Israeli-American reservist from the Givati Brigade, Battalion 435. Shookroon documented his participation in the genocide in Gaza.

Gersh Gluckin is an American-Israeli reservist who shared details of his military work in Gaza and is currently living in an illegal settlement in occupied al-Quds.

Matan Vaknin is an Israeli Givati reservist originally from Colombia. Vaknin shared his experiences during the Israeli genocide in Gaza in killing Palestinians and destroying their homes. 

Ivri Kedem is an Israeli-American reservist who documented his military deployment in Gaza, raiding and destroying Palestinian homes and schools.

Mordi Isakov is of Russian origin and a well-known international instructor for American and Israeli arms. Isakov posed for photos while participating in the genocide in Gaza.

Ariel Ifrach is an Israeli reservist of American descent. 

Ifrach served in the Givati Battalion and concluded his military work for the occupation in Rafah and posted Instagram pictures taken from displaced Palestinians' homes.

Mohammad K. Awade is an Arab reservist who documented his involvement in the genocide in Gaza.

Dani Adonya Adega is an Israeli-Nigerian reservist from the Givati Snipers Unit, who shared his own images while carrying out his mercenary work in Gaza.

Itay Abuzaglo is an Israeli reservist of Moroccan descent. 

Abuzaglo documented his service in Gaza as part of the Engineering Unit, where he rigged and detonated large neighborhoods in central and northern Gaza.

Dani Breznik is an Israeli-Russian reservist from the Engineering Unit of the Israeli Army. Breznik filmed himself rigging and detonating Palestinian homes in Gaza.

Liran Kazakov is an Israeli soldier of Russian origin. Kazakov posted images from atop a UNRWA school in Gaza that his squad used as a sniping post.

Sergei Chelnokov is a Russian-Israeli reservist from the Givati Battalion. Chelnokov shared images boasting about his role as a sniper during his time in Gaza.

Peleg Bar is an Israeli-Italian reserve soldier. Bar documented his time in Khan Yunis where he enjoyed looting homes of displaced Palestinians before detonating them.

Avihay Shuker is an American-Israeli reservist from the Engineering Battalion. Shuker posted about demolishing areas in Gaza.

He also boasted about raiding displaced Palestinians' homes and taking pictures with their belongings while celebrating his 25th birthday by detonating a block.  

Ofek Yakolev is an Israeli reservist of Russian origin. Yakolev uploaded mocking videos of himself inside a school in Gaza, which had forcibly displaced hundreds of Palestinian families.

He created TikTok videos from the school's classrooms.

Zevi Rosenzweig is an Israeli-American entrepreneur known for organizing tours for foreigners to Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Al-Quds. 

Rosenzweig shared images of himself and other Israeli soldiers in Gaza. These images revealed patches worn by the occupation soldiers that appeared to incite a communal war.

Dayan Haim Chamla is an Israeli-American reservist who posted footage from his time in the occupied West Bank, including a nighttime raid on Palestinian homes where he held a civilian family at gunpoint.

Emil Smirnov is an Israeli of Russian descent. Smirnov served as a tank operator in the Magen Company during the invasion of central Gaza and the coastal areas of the Strip.

Aviv Meshulami is an Israeli-American reservist. Meshulami served as a tank operator in Battalion 9 in Rafah and shared footage of himself indiscriminately targeting neighborhoods.

Yair Tetenboim is an Israeli-American reservist who served as a paramedic in the Israeli occupation army during the genocide in Gaza and engaged in war crimes at the same time.

Jonathan Cohen is an American-Israeli reservist. Cohen returned to Florida after serving as a combat medic, where Florida Atlantic University praised him for his involvement.

He also appeared on television and led campaigns to fund the Israeli army from Americans.

Shay Zadh is an American-Israeli reservist. He documented the war crimes he committed while serving in the Israeli army in Gaza on his social media platforms.

He turned these videos into humorous music while bragging about his war crimes against Palestinians. Shay is now back in California, where he owns a construction company.

Alex Neugroschl is an American-Israeli photographer. He documented his participation in the genocide in Gaza and uploaded those photos to his official photography Instagram page.

Adar Yahalom is an American-Israeli sheriff. He documented his time in the Israeli occupation forces during the genocide in Gaza, boasting about the thrill of destruction inflicted on the Strip.

Yakov Dslin is an Israeli soldier of Ethiopian origin. He posted footage from his time in Gaza, where he and other soldiers enjoyed destroying and setting fire to homes belonging to displaced or killed Palestinians.

Or Shitrit is an Israeli soldier of Moroccan descent. Shitrit posted images on Instagram from Gaza where he was seen playing with the belongings of displaced or killed Palestinians, captioning them: "We will dance on this land."

Omri Felous is a Brazilian reservist who moved to the occupied territories with his family at a young age. Felous documented his involvement in the war on Gaza while serving in the engineering unit responsible for mining and detonating Palestinian neighborhoods.

Yarden Gluzman is of Polish descent. He took photos of himself amid the rubble of destroyed Palestinian neighborhoods in Gaza and shared them on Instagram.

Nathan Emergui is an American-born soldier. He documented the demolition of residential neighborhoods on his Instagram during his stint with the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza.

Shachar Mendelson is a Polish-Israeli military reservist who shared details of his participation in the genocidal crimes in Gaza on Instagram.  

Yuval Sternschuss is a reservist of Dutch origins. He posted pictures from the homes of displaced or killed Palestinians in Gaza. 

The house appeared to have been set on fire—a tactic employed by Israeli soldiers to prevent Palestinians from returning.

Gali Brosh is an American-Israeli reservist who participated in the Gaza genocide. 

Brosh posted pictures on Instagram showcasing his time there alongside recent trips to the United States, seemingly to boast about his involvement.

 

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