Security coordinators in communities near the Gaza border expressed frustration on Sunday over the IDF’s plan to reduce the number of reservists in local alert squads. The military informed local security officers of the decision during a meeting with the brigade commander at the Gaza Division base in Re’im.
The changes, with few exceptions, will divide the region’s communities into three zones: “frontline” settlements within 0-4 km (0-2.5 miles) of the border, “core” settlements 4-7 km (2.5-4.3 miles) away, and “rear” settlements beyond 7 km (4.3 miles).
The plan, set to take effect after the Jewish High Holidays, will shrink reservist forces, shifting more responsibility to volunteers who won’t receive pay. Some coordinators told Ynet they left the meeting uneasy, opposing the cuts, while others acknowledged the rationale.
One from a frontline community said, “They’re asking us to maintain the same weekly patrols with fewer people. In a month, my team will be exhausted. There were strong emotions—we all feel we’re tasked with a vital job but lack the tools to do it.” He added, “This feels like a money issue. It’s completely illogical—are we relevant or not?”
Another coordinator supported the reduction, believing it reflects the IDF’s control over Gaza. Meanwhile, Gil Maimon, the national security coordinators’ chairman, called it “an incomprehensible failure.”
He warned, “While Gaza border residents expect maximum protection, the IDF and Defense Ministry are shrinking rapid-response teams, abandoning civilians. We demand an immediate halt to these cuts and a boost to community security, not the reverse. Residents’ lives aren’t expendable.” The IDF has yet to issue a statement on the matter.