Egypt Daily News – The Israeli army is facing a significant shortage of soldiers as the war on Gaza resumes, with many reservists refusing to return to service, according to a report by Yedioth Ahronoth.
A senior officer in an armored reserve brigade, preparing to enter Gaza for the third time in two weeks, told the newspaper that filling the ranks has become a major challenge. “Recruitment is not the same as it was a year ago; we feel it with every call we make,” the officer explained, pointing out that many reservists are unwilling to return.
According to the report, the brigade to which this officer belongs is experiencing a 30% shortage in personnel, disrupting rotation schedules and exhausting the soldiers still in service. The officer added that some units have become ineffective due to the absence of commanding officers, with some companies lacking both a company commander and a deputy, leaving only a handful of field officers.
Other officers quoted in the report cited personal pressures, such as academic and work delays or complicated family circumstances, as reasons for reservists’ reluctance to return. The newspaper also noted that reserve recruitment rates, which used to range between 50% and 70%, have now become rare exceptions, increasing the burden on active-duty soldiers.
Amid this decline, one officer said he had to reach out to soldiers who had been exempt from reserve duty for years. He highlighted that growing physical and psychological exhaustion is making it increasingly difficult for soldiers to sustain prolonged combat. A battalion commander who has served in both Gaza and the West Bank stated, “The soldiers have been fighting for more than 300 days, and continuing the war for such a long period puts them in a tough position.”
On Thursday, the Israeli army announced the launch of a ground military operation in central and southern Gaza, amid reports of an expanded ground offensive in the region. According to Israeli sources, Israeli forces, supported by attack helicopters, have encircled areas in northern Gaza.
This escalation followed Israel’s withdrawal from a ceasefire agreement with Hamas on Tuesday, which was immediately followed by heavy airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that military operations would intensify “with unprecedented force” unless Hamas releases dozens of hostages and relinquishes control of Gaza.
Since the resumption of hostilities, Israeli attacks have resulted in hundreds of casualties. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that hospitals have received 710 dead and more than 900 wounded since early Tuesday, amid worsening humanitarian conditions and severe shortages of medical supplies.
