In the French and Spanish media, allegations were made that Israel used thousands of mercenaries as part of its operations against Gaza. The Qassam Brigades' similar statements and South Africa's steps on the issue are intensifying mercenary tension in international affairs.
Calls for the trial of French citizens with dual nationality over a controversial allegation sparked debate in the French Parliament. Meanwhile, South Africa made a bold move by announcing plans to prosecute its own citizens who were fighting in Israel.
The Spanish media also extensively covered reports of a mercenary from Spain serving in the Israeli military. Let's examine these claims more closely...
It is known that the USA, France, Spain, and Ukraine are among them. The use of mercenaries was recently employed by Israel again after suffering significant losses in the conflicts in Gaza.
These mercenaries reportedly played a prominent role, particularly in situations where civilian casualties rose. According to the Israeli army, 21,891 soldiers with dual citizenship took part in operations in Gaza, though it is unclear if they were contracted as mercenaries or not.
According to a report from French radio Europe1, over 4,000 French-Israeli dual citizens joined the Israeli army for the Gaza conflict. This news caused quite a stir and led to discussions in the French parliament about the potential consequences of allowing dual citizens to participate in foreign conflicts.
In France, Thomas Portes of the Unyielding France Party (LFI) urged for the prosecution and condemnation of dual citizen mercenaries implicated in war crimes. He requested that the Minister of Justice ensure their trial takes place on French territory.
The French Palestine Solidarity Association (AFPS) similarly described the involvement of French soldiers in the Israeli army as "shameful".
The South African government has issued a warning to its citizens about the involvement of some South Africans in the Israeli army. This comes after confirming reports of mercenaries aiding Tel Aviv in their conflict with Hamas.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that legal repercussions and potential loss of citizenship will be faced by those who have joined or plan to join the Israeli army.
In addition, South Africa is part of a group of countries that have taken Israel to the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Gaza and has condemned the situation as "genocide".
In a recent interview with Spain's El Mundo newspaper, a Spanish mercenary in the Israeli army shed light on additional evidence related to these allegations. The article reveals that Israel pays these mercenaries a weekly wage of 3 thousand 900 euros.
As reported by Al Jazeera, 7 Ukrainian mercenaries were killed while aiding Israeli forces in the eastern Gaza City neighborhood of Shecaiya.
A video circulating on social media showed soldiers, possibly from Ukraine, seeking shelter behind a wall. However, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied these allegations and clarified that they have not sent troops to any part of the world, including Gaza.
