'Mom, I can no longer be in the army': Female IDF soldiers reveal hellish recruitment process

Screaming, humiliation, sleep deprivation, and punishment to the point of fainting - this is how, according to the parents of female recruits, the IDF treats those who refuse to enlist in the female observation unit, due to fear of serving in the army after the events of October 7.

After many female soldiers refused to serve as observers on the day of their recruitment a few weeks ago, their parents said that their daughters received harsh treatment, including being yelled at for many hours and deprived of continuous sleep, with the intention of "breaking" them. They were yelled at, humiliated, threatened, and cursed at. They were put under real psychological stress that broke them down and caused them to experience anxiety attacks.

One mother stated, "My daughter has experienced anxiety attacks until now because of everything she went through and how they were pressured to enlist for duty. All these practices were actually torture just to break them to serve in the position. They were told at night that they should sleep under a light and in a noisy place, thus preventing them from continuous sleep. They were also put outside in the sun for hours without even being allowed to scratch their faces. Some fainted there."

A few weeks ago, dozens of female soldiers who were assigned as observers asked to change their assignment following what they described as great anxiety in light of the murders and kidnapping of female observers on October 7. 

In addition to this, many testimonies were published about disdain in their assessments regarding a future attack and invasion by Hamas into Israeli territory. The parents of some of the female observers who refused to enlist for duty claim that their daughters were "tortured" under the blazing sun at the Tel Hashomer base and screamed into their ears with the intention of subduing them to enlist by force.

Mothers of traumatized female soldiers speak out

"Everything they asked for led to screaming in their faces. My daughter experienced an anxiety attack and was referred to the emergency room because of it," testified another mother of a soldier who enlisted. "She had the attack because of disgraceful treatment, to say the least, and the fear of serving in the position after what happened on October 7. The treatment of the female observers and what happened to them is a disaster and it is legitimate that they would not want the position. In the emergency department, she underwent hearing tests because of the screams she received in her ear. My daughter said that they shouted at her non-stop.

As a result, the parents of the female observers are shocked and feel hard feelings towards the military system. "The lack of trust in the army is already serious following all the events of the war, and in the end, the army chooses to ignore the problem," shared one of the mothers in anger.

"To abuse 18-year-old girls whose only crime was that they asked for another position? These are many girls who came with high motivation, and a desire to do a meaningful service, and they decided to simply threaten, break, and mentally abuse them. Now they are suffering. They suffered a trauma that is still alive and kicking in them and this is while they are still under the pressure of the trainees. I have lost faith in this system and my anger and frustration are very great. Everything she went through caused anxiety. She told me, "Mom, I think I'm no longer able to be in the army." I don't understand how they treated them in such a horrifying way." Another mother said that after these incidents, her daughter was afraid to enlist in military service in any possible capacity.  

In response, an IDF spokesperson stated, "Candidates who expressed low motivation for the position began a procedure and discussion with the screening officers at the Tel Hashomer base. The described cases are unknown. Whenever an individual case is brought, it will be examined and treated accordingly. Throughout their stay at the base, the candidates for the position received appropriate conditions and treatment. In general, the conduct in the manner described is not consistent with the behavior expected of commanders in the IDF. The observation system in the IDF makes a significant contribution to maintaining the safety of Israeli citizens and IDF soldiers, thwarting terrorist attacks, exposing, and harming the enemy."