"Without the donations, soldiers would not have tactical helmets, combat gloves, headlamps" - IDF Soldiers Respond to Gen. Yadai

Alexandroni responds to Gen. Yadai's Edicts regarding donations.

The text below is a translation of an open letter that quarter-masters from the Alexandroni Brigade of the IDF published this week.

To:

Major General Tamir Yadai,

Commander of the Ground Forces,

Greetings,

We are the Company Commanders of the 5280 Battalion, 60th Alexandroni Brigade. We are nearing the end of an operation in Gaza and have already served over 200 days since October 7th. Recently, we were shocked to read in the media about your severe punitive measures against soldiers receiving equipment from donations. We thought it was right to present our perspective, hoping you will not only allow donations but also work to change the reality where reserve forces repeatedly rely on donations for essential combat equipment.

Firstly, our soldiers are the spearhead of Israel. They have left their families, jobs, studies, and routine, and deserve priority over anything else in the country.

Secondly, our criticism starts above the battalion level. Our battalion provides excellent logistical support within its capabilities. The problem is with what the battalion does not have – what the larger IDF does not provide. We do not know if it is at the level of the Chief of Staff, the Command Major General, or the Logistics Officer, but eventually, the issues trickle down to the battalions, companies, and individual soldiers.

Thirdly, this criticism is not written at the start of the war, not after 50, 100, or 150 days. The equipment shortage has been with us since the beginning of the war, leading to significant time and effort being spent on raising donations and managing volunteers to procure donations. At this stage of the war, it is a disgraceful situation, wasting precious time that should be dedicated to our operational mission.

The lack of equipment might ultimately lead to a further decrease in the turnout rate of some soldiers. We have no doubt that a comprehensive and full logistical support system would help maintain the high enlistment rates of soldiers.

Now, we have categorized the types of equipment that are in short supply or entirely missing. The sections are randomly divided and not by order of importance:

1.⁠ ⁠*Observation and Surveillance Equipment*: Eight months into the fighting, our company has yet to receive thermal devices and drones from the IDF. Without donations, we would lack this life-saving and essential combat equipment.

2.⁠ ⁠*Demolition Equipment*: We are an engineering company. Often, soldiers in Gaza cannot complete their mission due to a lack of demolition equipment. Additionally, basic equipment necessary for demolition tasks, such as Hilti nails, electrical and demolition tape, etc., are missing. Companies have spent thousands of shekels from their own funds to properly equip themselves.

3.⁠ ⁠*Basic Soldier Equipment*: Without the donations, soldiers would not have tactical helmets, combat gloves, headlamps, etc. Most of our combat backpacks are used bags, worn out and uncomfortable. We were recently informed that there are no hydration bags at the Southern Command supply center. The sleeping bags we received in the first month and a half in Gaza were winter bags, some torn and sometimes with bird droppings, etc.

4.⁠ ⁠*Weapon Sights*: A significant number of soldiers in the battalion lack weapon sights and are forced to fight with iron sights in Gaza.

5.⁠ ⁠*Outposts and Cooling Equipment in Gaza*: Some outposts in Gaza appear to have good infrastructure, while others have none. The tents set up for soldiers outside Gaza for rest and recovery are in deplorable condition.

6.⁠ ⁠*Vehicles and Maintenance Equipment*: Some vehicles are very old and insufficient in number, causing delays and sometimes inability to complete missions. We had to purchase equipment such as compressors, welders, and power washers ourselves, and some equipment was borrowed from brigade professionals. There are significant challenges in entering and exiting Tze'elim base, causing many delays as we are often denied entry for operational travel needs.

We write this letter to ensure that senior command is aware of the logistical challenges faced by the reserve forces. Any halt or interference with the donation system for fighters will directly impact our operational readiness and service conditions, leading to increased wear and tear on us. Our goal is to make it clear that the equipment should indeed come from the IDF, not donations. However, as long as the IDF does not provide the equipment, donations should not be stopped.

We call on you to summon us and other reserve company commanders for an open discussion about the situation. It is time for a change.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Respectfully,

5280 Battalion Commanders,

60th Alexandroni Brigade

CC:

•⁠ ⁠Minister of Defense, Yoav Galant

•⁠ ⁠Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, MK Yuli-Yoel Edelstein

•⁠ ⁠Members of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee

Here is the letter in the original Hebrew:

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