Southern Israeli Local Leaders Demand Halt to Security Force Reductions Near Gaza

Local leaders from southern Israeli communities bordering Gaza expressed strong opposition on Thursday to plans aimed at reducing the number of security personnel and reservist duty days in the area. They emphasized that the security of residents in these frontline communities must not be compromised by budget cuts or force reductions. The heads of the regional councils of Sderot, Sha'ar HaNegev, Eshkol, Shdot Negev, and Hof Ashkelon, together with the Future for the Gaza Envelope movement, sent an urgent letter to the Defense Minister. They argued that any plan to cut reservist duty days for local security teams directly threatens residents' safety and contradicts previous commitments that no reductions would occur before the end of the year. The letter demands an immediate halt to all reductions or cuts in local security teams and components, calls for dialogue and consultation with local leaders before any changes to the civilian security framework, and requests guaranteed long-term stability for these security units through proper budgeting and preparation. President Isaac Herzog, visiting the Gaza border area, underscored the need to do everything possible to preserve the settlements there, reinforcing the leaders' stance that lessons from the October 7 attacks must translate into maintaining strong frontline defenses rather than cuts.