Fear on front line

ISRAELI soldiers told of their fears as they prepared to join the Battle of Gaza but said: We're not scared.

- JEREMY ARMSTRONG

They claim Hamas militia are wearing Israeli Defence Force uniforms to hoodwink them and are using human shields on the streets above their subterranean HQ of 30,000 fighters.

The Mirror met members of Israel's 188th Armoured Brigade yesterday, as they prepared to fight "in the air, on the ground and underground".

As we spoke, one soldier screamed "get down!", as a Hamas rocket roared overhead. We hit the deck as the sirens sounded and smoke filled the sky.

We stayed on the ground for several minutes before being allowed to drive on.

We passed soldiers sitting side by side, taking a rest by the Forward Operating Base on the edge of the battlefield. 

Clouds of dust rose from a convoy and ambulances of armoured trucks One soldier, Ilai, 25, told us: "We go in tonight. I'm worried but not scared.

He said he flew home from a holiday in the US to fight, adding: "I had to after I saw what happened on October 7.