Israel is recruiting asylum seekers from Africa to take part in military operations in Gaza in exchange for residency rights, Israeli media outlet Haaretz reports.

The report is based on testimonies of asylum seekers who were offered permanent residency status in exchange for joining the war effort in Gaza.

Haaretz quoted unnamed military officials saying the programme was being carried out in an “organised manner” under the supervision of “defence establishment” legal advisers.

So far, none of the asylum seekers involved in the offensive effort has been granted official status, the report said, adding that about 30,000 asylum seekers reside in Israel.