More than 400 Belgian-Israelis served in Israeli army during Gaza war
More than 400 people holding dual Belgian and Israeli nationality served in the Israeli army during the war in Gaza, according to figures reported by several Belgian media outlets based on a document obtained from Declassified UK.
Citing the document, Het Nieuwsblad and Gazet van Antwerpen report that 471 Belgian-Israelis were members of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) in March 2025. Le Soir puts the figure at at least 406.
The data does not specify whether those concerned were deployed in the Gaza Strip itself or elsewhere, such as the West Bank or along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. It is also unclear how many were active soldiers and how many were reservists.
According to VRT NWS, the Belgian ministry of Foreign Affairs is aware that Belgian nationals have served in the Israeli army but does not keep official figures. Belgium does not prohibit dual nationals from serving in a foreign army, though individuals could face legal scrutiny if there are indications of involvement in potential war crimes. The federal prosecutor’s office has said that investigations may be opened where appropriate.
The figures place Belgium within a broader international picture. In March 2025, more than 50,000 IDF soldiers reportedly held at least one additional nationality. The largest groups of dual nationals came from the US (13,342), France (6,464), Russia (5,169) and Germany (4,193).
The revelations are likely to add to ongoing political debate in Belgium over the Gaza war and the legal responsibilities of dual nationals involved in foreign conflicts.
Israeli troops deployed along the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip © PHOTO JACK GUEZ / AFP
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