The IDF announced this morning (Monday) that since the beginning of the fighting in Gaza, brigade-level supply convoys enter the Strip every day. The issue of ceramic vests and the claims of the lack thereof also came up.
IDF Military equipment enters the Gaza Strip. (Source: IDF Spokesperson)
According to the army’s statement, the convoys provide ammunition, weapons, fuel, food, medical equipment, and water to help continue the fight. Thus far the IDF notes that dozens of trucks have reached the front in brigade-level logistical operations containing ammunition, shells, mortar rounds, and other means of warfare. In addition, forces in the field were provided with hundreds of thousands of liters of water, tens of thousands of tons of food, and over a million liters of fuel.
Southern Command Logistics Commander Oren Fortal described how the IDF has supplied the troops: “From the moment the forces went in, the logistical array operated extensively for extraction from the combat area, evacuating wounded and saving lives. In addition, the array is busy in nighttime logistical operations for supplying the forces with fuel, ammunition, breakthrough and combat means, and a great deal of food, energy, medical equipment.”
Most Donated Ceramic Vests Didn’t Pass Necessary Tests
In a briefing for reporters, the IDF’s Chief Logistics and Technology Officers, Brig.-Gen. Haim Malki and Ariel Shima, were asked about the issue of ceramic vests. The claim was that soldiers just 100-150 meters from the fence lack vests while they were promised 1000 by today.
In response, they said: “One, the threat to the forces behind the border is primarily shrapnel and mortal hits. The ordinary vest protects a person’s life by 30% more, and it is better to put on a shrapnel vest and not a ceramic one.”
They added that “ceramic vests are not operationally adapted to that. Regardless of that, they’re equipping another order of battle with ceramic vests, those who are going into activity where it’s needed. Anyone who enters the Strip and needs a ceramic vest is equipped, even the logistics array soldiers, they don’t go in without.”
According to them, “most ceramic vests that were donated didn’t pass the necessary tests, some 90% of them don’t meet the standard, and we will not endanger the lives of soldiers, they will only get standard equipment. There is still equipping of ceramic vests, there is no-one who demands a ceramic vest immediately and don’t have.”
They explain that “at the moment, we’re equipping forces who go in later on. I understand that it’s hard to understand that an ordinary vest is better than a ceramic in certain cases, but it’s more appropriate for the mission. It’s determined according to the operational aspect.”
"There’s no one hundred percent; this is an area with significant combat aspects”
Another issue raised was the hit on an armored combat vehicle which led to the relatively high number of deaths among Givati soldiers compared to the character of the vehicle. The two were asked if this surprised them. They said that “we put the most protected armored fighting vehicle in there, but it’s not one hundred percent. This is a combat sector, every event is investigated, but there is no one hundred percent. This is an area with very significant fighting characteristics.”
