As the war approaches its tenth month, IDF soldiers continue to report serious flaws in the equipment they are being issued.
One soldier recently released from Gaza claimed that his entire battalion had not been issued any gear at all. ''We are not sure how we are going to carry out raids and patrols,'' he lamented.
Another soldier stationed in northern Israel claimed that his unit had been issued outdated helmets that would not be effective against modern weapons.
"I don't trust this helmet to protect my life. We are now seeking donations just to make sure that we will be able to carry out our assignments and also return home to our families," he stated.
Other soldiers have circulated images of visibly worn or damaged protective gear they have been issued for their assignments, claiming that the IDF is endangering them by sending them to operational assignments in such gear.
''It's all throughout the army, not only with equipment but with other things. It's the type of ignoring of facts that led to the 7th of October,'' declared one reservist.
The IDF has insisted that all soldiers have been issued sufficient equipment for their assignments. More recently, new regulations have been formulated to prevent soldiers from replacing their official equipment with more modern supplies donated to Israel from overseas. The commander of the Ground Forces, Major Tamir Yadai, commented: "The findings are very alarming and disturbing. There is no transparency, there is no control, no record of what exists and what does not. Some things are being done that border on criminal or endanger the forces.”
An open letter circulated by combat soldiers claimed that this too was the failing of the IDF leadership. “In this war, 350,000 reserve soldiers were mobilized to the various fronts, exceeding 100% of the expected reservist turnout. The IDF was not prepared to equip these reserve soldiers. In its place, donors, particularly overseas donors, sought to assist those forces by sending equipment that would save the lives of those reservists who were not receiving adequate equipment from the army.”