NEW YORK – Israel has called up more than 360,000 reservists to active duty after the Hamas attack.
The response was immediate and overwhelming after war was declared this week.
Rudy Rochman, a 30-year-old graduate from Columbia University, is among the soldiers who have responded to the call and are prepared for battle. During an interview with CBS New York’s Chris Wragge and Mary Calvi, Rochman shared his insights from Israel.
Rochman explained that as reservists, they are no longer active members of the army but are always ready in case of war. They have to temporarily leave their civilian lives, families, work, and everything else they are doing to return to the battlefield. Unfortunately, on Saturday they were met with terrifying experiences, which led to their deployment and immediate involvement in combat at the same locations.
What they discovered, according to Rochman, was extremely distressing.
“We, as soldiers, were mentally prepared to engage in war, but nothing could have prepared us for the horrifying massacres and slaughters we witnessed in these areas. It was heart-wrenching to see innocent men, women, and children suffer. It’s crucial to grasp that this was not a conventional battlefield where soldiers fought soldiers. These atrocities occurred in villages, communities, playgrounds, and nurseries. Perpetrators entered these places and mercilessly annihilated everyone,” Rochman expressed. “I want to emphasize that this conflict is not a religious or ethnic war between Jews, Palestinians, Arabs, or Muslims. Instead, it is a war between Hamas and the innocent civilians residing in the land of Israel. The primary objective of Hamas is to promote a divisive narrative and polarize populations. Despite being engaged in this war and determined to emerge victorious, we must acknowledge that the individuals on the ground are not the ones waging this war. It is those who benefit from it, including Hamas.”
Combat is what Rochman was trained for, but that fact doesn’t make it any less challenging.
Rochman expressed that we are aware of the presence of our fellow brothers and sisters, some of whom tragically won’t return to their loved ones. As a result, none of us desire to engage in war. The thought of losing lives and causing harm is unsettling to all. However, regrettably, this is the reality we find ourselves in. Rochman hopes that once the chaos subsides, valuable lessons will be gleaned to avert such incidents in the future.
Please view the complete interview in the video provided above.
