Israeli man punished for refusing to join army and fight Hamas

18-year-old Israeli citizen Tal Mitnick has been handed a 30-day sentence in a military prison for his refusal to enlist in the Israeli army to fight against Hamas in Gaza, according to a report published in Times of Israel. 

The report stated that Mitnick, who cites political grounds for his refusal, is the first person to face arrest for such reasons since October 7.

"I believe that slaughter cannot solve slaughter. The criminal attack on Gaza won't solve the atrocious slaughter that Hamas executed. Violence won't solve violence. And that is why I refuse," Mitnick stated in his social media post.

This led to his sentencing on Tuesday.

Mitnick commenced his prison term at the Tel Hashomer IDF base in central Israel, accompanied by a small group of supporters who cheered him on. 

In his statement, Mitnick highlighted the trauma caused by the Hamas attack on October 7, labelling it unprecedented. 

However, he criticised the Israeli response as a "revenge campaign" against not only Hamas but all Palestinians, citing indiscriminate bombings and political persecution.

Mitnick firmly asserted his refusal to believe that more violence would bring security, advocating for diplomacy, political efforts, and policy changes to prevent further destruction and loss of life on both sides.