Exclusive: The UAE funds the recruitment of African mercenaries to fight alongside the Israeli army.

 Diplomatic sources with insider knowledge disclosed that the UAE is funding the recruitment of mercenaries from African nations to fight with the Israeli army in its ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.

According to information shared with “Emirates Leaks,” the plan to recruit mercenaries is particularly concentrated on Ethiopia, where hundreds have been recruited to join the Israeli army since the end of last year.

It was also indicated that Abu Dhabi has exploited its strong relations with the Ethiopian government to assist Israel by recruiting mercenaries from various countries in the Horn of Africa2.

The sources stated that the UAE is strategically aligning itself with Israel, allowing it to offer various types of support discreetly, with a primary focus on supplying the Israeli army with mercenaries from diverse nationalities.

The sources further noted that the UAE considers Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon to be a mutual strategic interest, encouraging Tel Aviv through various means to persist in its combat against the Palestinian Hamas and the Lebanese Hezbollah to completely eradicate them.

The same sources added that the UAE views Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon as a shared strategic interest and urges Tel Aviv in various ways to continue its fight against the Palestinian Hamas movement and Lebanese Hezbollah to completely eliminate them.

It is widely recognized that the Israeli army relies heavily on thousands of mercenary fighters contracted through private military companies to perform military services, some of which are associated with indirect support for the conflict in Gaza.

The UAE provides the necessary financial support to global companies specializing in contracting mercenaries and subsequently bringing them to Israel, such as “Reven” and “Global CST,” both of which are private military firms contracted by the Israeli army to recruit mercenaries for military operations.

More than 700 Israeli officers and soldiers have been killed since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza on October 7, 2023.

These figures emerge at a time when Tel Aviv is accused of concealing the true toll of its casualties and injuries in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israeli officials have repeatedly stated that the army is paying “heavy prices” in its battles within the enclave and is engaged in “fierce fighting” with Palestinian militants.

Official data indicates that the Rehabilitation Department of the Israeli Ministry of Defense has taken in 10,056 injured soldiers since the start of the war on Gaza, which amounts to an average of more than 1,000 new injuries each month.

According to a statement from the ministry, over 3,700 of the injured are suffering from limb injuries, including 192 head injuries, 168 eye injuries, 690 spinal cord injuries, and 50 amputees receiving treatment in the Rehabilitation Department.

Consequently, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority stated that the data shows more than 1,000 new injured soldiers are being admitted each month due to the ongoing fighting in Gaza.

The authority also noted that 68% of the injured soldiers are reservists, predominantly young individuals, with 51% falling in the age range of 18 to 30 years, and 31% aged between 30 and 40 years.