Roi Yifrach by no means served within the Israeli army however apparently used pretend identities (Representational)
Tel Aviv, Israel:
He impersonated a soldier to hitch the conflict in Gaza, stole weapons after sneaking into a military unit, and joined the combating towards the Palestinian group Hamas. Roi Yifrah, 35, took benefit of the chaotic scenario within the aftermath of the conflict, wore a military uniform to hitch the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on the battlefield, and even appeared in a photograph subsequent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu throughout one in every of his visits to the sector.
Roi Yifrach by no means served within the Israeli army however apparently used pretend identities to pose as a member of an elite Shin Wager fight unit, reported information company Reuters. Shin Wager is Israel’s home intelligence company.
Now, Israeli prosecutors have charged him with numerous weapons offences, together with theft beneath aggravated circumstances, The Instances Of Israel reported. Based on experiences, he stole army and police weapons with the intent to promote them on the black market.
{A photograph} of Roi Yifrah in full battle gear posing with different troopers alongside Benjamin Netanyahu at a helicopter touchdown website was aired by one of many channels, Reuters reported.
An Israeli official advised Reuters that Yifrah had posed with Netanyahu, however mentioned the prime minister was by no means in danger because of “a number of layers of safety on the website”.
The Prime Minister’s Workplace didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
How Yifrach Offered Himself As Fight Soldier
It was on October 7 when Hamas launched an all-out assault in Israel when Roi Yifrah went to southern Israel, CBS Information reported. He introduced himself alternately as a fight soldier from elite anti-terrorism models, a bomb dispersal skilled, and a member of the Shin Wager inner safety service, the indictment mentioned
He was arrested final month and police seized giant quantities of weapons, grenades, magazines, walkie-talkies, a drone, uniforms, and different army tools in his possession, it added.
A purloined haul present in Yifrah’s residence included an assault rifle, numerous sorts of bullets, smoke grenades, and holsters, the indictment added.
Lawyer Says He Fought Bravely
In the meantime, his lawyer Eitan Segev advised Israeli media that Yifrach helped as a paramedic with a primary responder group, and fought bravely to defend Israel for greater than two months.
“He was serving to individuals and serving to rescue individuals, all beneath fireplace, whereas additionally combating towards terrorists,” Sabag mentioned.
“My consumer is a medic who … saved lives beneath fireplace, whereas risking his life and eliminating terrorists,” the lawyer advised Channel 12, including that “the defendant, beneath the circumstances, is the State of Israel – not Roi Yifrah”.
The 5 counts towards him, together with aggravated fraud and larceny, might quantity to a most jail sentence of 36 years.
Hamas’s bloody October 7 assault on Israel resulted within the deaths of round 1,140 individuals, most of them civilians, in response to an AFP tally primarily based on official Israeli figures.
Hamas additionally took round 250 hostages again to Hamas-ruled Gaza, of whom 129 stay in captivity, in response to Israeli figures.
After the assault, the worst in its historical past, Israel started a relentless bombardment and floor offensive that has killed a minimum of 22,185 individuals, principally ladies and kids, in response to Gaza’s well being ministry
(With company inputs)