Despite the dust, fatigue and apprehension, the soldiers of the Yahsam 179 battalion were all smiles. On November 9 at the Nahshonim military base, clinging to the demarcation line between Israel and the West Bank, the 50 or so reservists were returning from yet another training session aboard their tanks designed to transport equipment over rough terrain.

At any moment, these non-professional soldiers could be called up to the Gaza Strip, where several dozen of their brothers-in-arms had already been killed in the war against Hamas. Nothing to joke about. But Yoav Kotliar, the unit commander, was confident that they still managed to find "ways to stay motivated." That evening, after wolfing down lukewarm pizzas and smoking a few cigarettes, the young men in fatigues hurriedly set up rows of plastic chairs in the vast hangar where their military gear is parked. The stand-up show started at 9:00 pm sharp.

"Don't forget that there are good sides to this war too," began 43-year-old comedian Eli Haviv, microphone in hand, to applause. "For example, we no longer have time to have eco-anxiety!" With their rifles slung over their shoulders, the soldiers laughed. For a little over two hours, he and three other comedians, Ori Broyer, Noga D'Angeli and Hagit Ginzburg (all followed by tens of thousands of people on YouTube and social media), took turns trying to cheer up the troops.

In front of Israeli flags and a simple portable loudspeaker on the ground, the four stand-up comedians, in civilian clothes, emphasized that the whole population was impressed by the courage of its army. They heckled some of the infantrymen about their rough haircuts or young age.

With a sudden air of seriousness, the comedians also referred to October 7, a "second Holocaust" according to them, which tore the reservists away from their loved ones and their jobs as teachers, tourist guides, etc. The stars of the evening finished their performance by offering a few selfies in triumphant poses, perched on the tanks.

A group of 'laughter warriors'

In this war against Hamas, humor is at Israel's service. One might have thought that after the terrorist attack that left 1,200 dead and 240 hostages, 100 of whom were freed during the truce at the end of November, the mood would not be one of laughter. Yet in Israel, the tragedy has not extinguished the laughter.

"In this country, when the world attacks us, we have to laugh about it," said 41-year-old comedian Hagit Ginzburg, who also works as a culture columnist for the left-wing daily Haaretz. "I would have loved to have joined the army, so making soldiers laugh is my military service." Since mid-October, comedians have been called in to help people forget reality, at least for a few hours. Some 30 joke professionals, regulars at Israel's comedy clubs, which have all been closed since October 7, have set up a volunteer group: "the laughter warriors."

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