Israel allows non-Israeli Jewish individuals to voluntarily join military service, an army spokesperson has told Anadolu Agency, without disclosing the number of foreign mercenaries currently serving.

A debate has erupted following a French lawmaker filing a criminal complaint and South Africa threatening to revoke the nationalities of nationals taking part in the conflict.

Amid Israel’s ongoing conflict on Gaza, the presence of individuals with no family in Israel to support them, such as a new immigrant, a volunteer from abroad, and an orphan, serving in the Israeli army as “lone soldiers,” has drawn attention.

In a written message to a spokesperson for Israeli army unit, Anadolu asked, “Can any Jewish person serve in IDF even if he or she is not Israeli citizen? Or they must get Israeli citizenship first to serve in the army?”

“You can volunteer” in the Israeli army was the response.

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