The Israeli Ministry of Defense is recruiting African asylum seekers to carry out “potentially deadly” operations in Gaza in exchange for obtaining permanent resident status in Israel, according to reports by the Israeli media outlet Haaretz.
Defense officials, speaking unofficially, confirmed to the center-left daily the existence of this project, which is being conducted in an “organized” manner with the help of the ministry’s legal advisers.
However, none of the asylum seekers who participated in the war effort have been granted official status so far, according to Haaretz. These individuals have reportedly already participated in several operations, some of which have been publicized.
The officials interviewed by the media also stated that some voices expressed objections to this recruitment due to ethical concerns about exploiting individuals who have often fled war in their own countries. These voices were reportedly silenced, according to Haaretz.
This mainly concerns Sudanese and Eritrean refugees, who make up the majority of the 36,000 asylum seekers in Israel. They face constant pressure from the Israeli government, according to Haaretz.
