MHA responds to Al Jazeera report: No substantiated info that S'poreans fought for Israel Defense Forces
A foreign news report has suggested that at least two Singaporeans may have served in the Israeli military during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
But the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) says it currently has no substantiated information to support that claim.
In response to Stomp's queries, MHA said it is aware of a foreign news report stating that two Singaporeans were among those who fought for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) during the conflict in Gaza.
Israel launched a military offensive in Gaza after the militant group Hamas carried out attacks in Israel on Oct 7, 2023.
"MHA does not have any substantiated information at this point that any Singaporean is/was fighting as part of the IDF."
Al Jazeera report lists Singapore in nationality breakdown
An Al Jazeera report cited data obtained through Israel's Freedom of Information Law by Israeli NGO Hatzlacha, which found that more than 50,000 Israeli soldiers hold at least one additional citizenship.
In a table breaking down the nationalities of Israeli soldiers with additional passports, Singapore was listed as having:
- One individual holding dual nationalities, and
- One individual holding multiple nationalities.
The report did not provide names or identifying details.
It also listed large numbers of soldiers holding additional citizenships from countries such as the United States, France, Russia, Ukraine and Germany.
According to the report, the figures reflect service members enlisted in the Israeli military as of March 2025. The Israeli military noted that soldiers holding multiple citizenships may be counted more than once in the nationality breakdown.
Al Jazeera said the data was shared with it by Israeli lawyer Elad Man, legal counsel for Hatzlacha.
The report further examined whether dual nationals could face legal consequences if implicated in alleged war crimes, citing legal experts who said dual nationality does not exempt individuals from criminal liability under international law.
Stomp has reached out to Al Jazeera for more information.
Former MP called for clarification
Former Member of Parliament Amrin Amin had earlier weighed in on the report in a Facebook post on Feb 18, calling it "concerning" and saying it "needs clarification".
Mr Amrin, who was MP for Woodlands ward of Sembawang GRC between 2015 and 2020, wrote that under Singapore law, citizens and permanent residents are not allowed to serve in a foreign armed force without proper authorisation.
He added that the Government has made clear that Singaporeans should not take up arms in foreign conflicts, and noted that Singapore generally does not allow dual nationality.
"I'm confident our authorities will handle this thoroughly and fairly," said Mr Amrin, who was also Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Health.
"If the report isn't accurate, I hope that will be clarified. Either way, transparent findings are key to maintaining public confidence in Singapore's fairness and integrity."
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