More Than 55,000 Women Are Serving In The IDF, With Female Militants Making Up Over 30%

The Israel Defence Force (IDF) is one of the only armies in the world that actively recruits women into its ranks under a mandatory military draft law.

A huge 92 per cent of roles in the IDF are open to women, with female militants currently making up more than 30 per cent of soldiers who join the IDF after completing compulsory military service.

In 1948, after the Israeli Declaration of Independence, military service was made compulsory in the state. The Women's Corp was also established in 1948, by women who had previously served in the British Army.

The national service is mandatory for all Israeli nationals over the age of 18, with the minimum fixed-term service at 32 months, to allow militants to learn a range of skills.

Arab citizens of Israel are able to appeal their call-up, and exceptions can also be made based on religious, psychological or physical grounds.

According to the IDF, prior to the escalated Israel-Gaza conflict, women made up more than 50 per cent of the officers who were serving in the IDF.

The broad number of roles includes infantry, intelligence, medical assistance and military band.

At first, women were only able to serve in hospitable roles – like nursing, teaching and office-based jobs, but the Yom Kippur War in 1973, propelled women onto the front line.

Today, women are playing key roles in the Israel-Gaza war, serving as soldiers on the front lines, to journalists and medical personnel.

Women in the IDF have been assisting with the bombardment of air strikes on the Gaza Strip, since Hamas' unprecedented attack on Israel that resulted in an on-the-ground massacre of more than 1,400 people.

The IDF has since announced that they have committed tens of thousands of soldiers to capture the city and destroy thousands of Hamas territories in Gaza.

Ella Waweya, the Head of the Arabic Media Desk and the Deputy Commander of the Spokesperson's Unit in the IDF, was the first Muslim Arab woman to publicly announce her promotion to a Major in the IDF.

Waweya, widely known as Captain Ella, uses her Instagram platform, which is followed by more than 50,000 accounts, to share updates about the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Being raised as a Muslim Arab citizen of Israel, Captain Ella spoke to reporters about her "identity crisis" as a child, and was disappointed in the portrayal of Israel during the Second Infidada by the Qatar-based Arab news channel Al Jazeera.

"When I saw Arabic media I thought, 'Someone needs to give a different perspective on this'," the 33-year-old said.

In her most recent Israel-Gaza war update, Captain Ella wrote: "Ten days into the war that Hamas waged against terrorism... And our goal is to eliminate their odds in Gaza."

Moriah Mencer, a Former IDF soldier, also returned to Israel to fight on the front line – after finding out that one of her loved ones was "murdered" in the Hamas assault.

Speaking to her followers on social media last week, Mencer said: "We've rushed back to Israel because our friends are in very unfortunate situations. Some of my friends are missing. I've just found out that one of my friends has been murdered in her home two days ago."

"We got the first flight we could," she declared.

While more than 55,900 women are serving in various IDF roles amid the Israel-Gaza war, the Israeli military has only recently passed a new pilot program that will allow female combat soldiers to serve in elite Special Forces units in the IDF.

The program is set to be launched next year, in 2024, and will see women soldiers incorporated into Sayeret Matkal, serving in on-the-ground, navy and air force roles.