Gaza: Armed man posed as Israeli soldier on the battlefield for months

Roi Yafarach fought with the Israeli army in Gaza for a year, participating in many of the fierce battles between the IDF and Hamas fighters.

Throughout this time, Yafarach posted hundreds of photos from the battlefield alongside his comrades. He was even photographed with the Israeli Prime Minister during the early days of the ground operation when Netanyahu visited the special units to boost their morale.

All of this might seem ordinary, except for one detail: Roi Yafarach is not an Israeli soldier. He doesn’t belong to any reserve or permanent army unit because he was exempted from military service at age 18 for health reasons. Additionally, Yafarach has a significant criminal record, including a conviction for the theft of firearms.

This case has made headlines in Israel, not so much for how he ended up on the battlefield, but rather for the ease with which he got close to the country’s Prime Minister. According to local media, Yafarach claimed to be a member of the army’s special forces and even chose the role of “explosives expert” as his specialty.

Today, Yafarach was represented by his lawyer in a Tel Aviv court, where his defense stated that he was in Gaza out of a deep sense of duty to protect his country. The judicial authorities did not file charges against Roi Yafarach, seemingly due to a settlement, with the Israeli army opting not to pursue legal action.

It remains unknown in how many or which IDF operations Yafarach participated, as those military records are classified by the Israeli armed forces and intelligence services.

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