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From the Liveblog of
Thursday, May 13, 2021
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, May 13, 2021
IDF nixes leave for combat troops as it prepares for possible ground operation
Judah Ari Gross is The Times of Israel's religions and Diaspora affairs correspondent.
The Israel Defense Forces announces it is canceling all weekend leave for combat soldiers as it prepares for the possibility of a ground operation in the Gaza Strip, as fighting there intensifies.
The military has sent infantry troops and tanks from the Paratroopers Brigade, Golani Brigade and 7th Armored Brigade to the Gaza border.
In addition, IDF Spokesperson Hidai Zilberman says the military has called up 7,000 reservists.
Roughly half of these are troops from air defense, artillery and medical units, and half serve in administrative and intelligence positions, Zilberman says.
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