Givati soldiers who refused mission over female paramedic sent to military prison

Sixteen soldiers from the forward company of the Rotem Battalion in the Givati Brigade, which also includes yeshiva students serving in the military, were sent to military detention after refusing an order to go on an operational patrol in a Namer armored personnel carrier in Gaza after learning that a female paramedic would be joining them, the IDF announced shortly before midnight on Sunday night. Five soldiers who led the incident were sentenced to 10 days in detention, while 11 others were sentenced to five days. Two of the five soldiers sentenced to 10 days in detention will meet with an assessment committee before returning to combat duty. The soldiers were tried by the battalion commander, who determined the punishments according to each soldier’s level of involvement in the incident. Because of the soldiers’ refusal, the operation in Gaza was canceled.