Israel to Arm Civilians to Protect Cities

To quickly respond to attacks or crises, the Israeli police will begin arming civilian volunteers, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The chief inspector of the Israeli police, Kobi Shabtai, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir have decided to create rapid response units operating in all Israeli cities under police supervision.

The new 347 units will be supplemented by 13,200 volunteers who will receive firearms and protective equipment.

It is worth recalling that on the morning of October 7, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army's press service reported that extremists launched over 3,000 rockets. In addition, dozens of terrorists infiltrated areas near the southern border of Israel. The military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement announced that it was conducting an operation called “Al-Aqsa Flood” against Israel. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also announced the launch of Operation “Iron Swords” against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.