Israeli military to begin drafting ultra-Orthodox Jews next week

The Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday that it would begin issuing the draft notices to ultra-Orthodox Jews on Sunday. It would be doing so in a bid to fill out its ranks with members from all parts of Israeli society, the military added.  The Israeli government has not yet passed legislation to expand its mandatory military service requirements for all citizens. But the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that ultra-Orthodox Jews are not exempt from the draft. Ultra-Orthodox Haredi Jews have been blocking roads to protest the decision, according to the Times of Israel.

What’s going on at the battlefield level in Gaza? The Israeli military said on Tuesday that it was investigating reports that Palestinian civilians died in an IDF airstrike in the Nuseirat area. The Associated Press reported that an Israeli strike in central Gaza killed more than 60 people on Tuesday. The IDF was trying to destroy terrorists hiding in a United Nations facility in the area and took steps to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of intelligence and aerial surveillance, it said. The IDF said it also used precise munitions for the attack.

Dig deeper: Read my report in The Sift about how Israeli forces recently found weapons, drones, and explosives inside another United Nations headquarters in Gaza.