Israel starts arming Gaza border standby squads: report

Israel on Thursday has started distributing weapons and protective equipment to civilian squads near the Gaza Strip, according to The Jerusalem Post. 

Minister of Communications Shlomo Karai said in late October that “hundreds of emergency standby squads are being established across the country, which constitute a civil security force in towns and villages.” 

A dozen of the squads received M-16 rifles and protective gear from the Israel Defense Forces’ Southern Command on Thursday, the Jerusalem Post reports. 

The newspaper, citing a joint statement from the IDF and Ministry of Defense, says the program is aimed at creating better safety conditions for the return of Israelis to their homes in southern Israel following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that launched the war in Gaza.