IDF said to withhold payment from troops wounded in Gaza

Several thousand shekels’ worth of discharge grants were reportedly withheld from two Israeli soldiers who were seriously injured in Gaza after the army said the two had lost sensitive military equipment during the fighting.

The two soldiers, who both recently completed their compulsory service in a specialized infantry unit in the Golani Brigade, had each lost an eye during a deadly battle in the Gaza neighborhood of Shejaiya, a Hamas stronghold that saw some of the heaviest fighting of the 50-day war, Israel Radio reported.

Following the battle, the two soldiers were hospitalized for three months and are still in need of medical treatment. Nevertheless, the army said it held them accountable for the loss of equipment in Gaza.

The IDF later said it was reviewing the two soldiers’ case, according to Israel Radio.

Thirteen Golani Brigade soldiers were killed during the June 19-20 overnight battle in Shejaiya, including Sgt. Oron Shaul, whose remains are believed to be held by Hamas operatives.

Between 65 and 120 Palestinians were killed in shelling during and following the battle, including at least 17 children and 14 women. The Palestinian Health Ministry, which provided the figures, does not categorize victims as civilian or combatant, and Israel has claimed a majority of those killed in Shejaiya were Hamas members or other gunman.