According to the NYT, around a dozen officers and soldiers described depleted units, with at least two reporting that 40 to 50 percent of reservist colleagues failed to show up for duty.
Israeli military plans to occupy Gaza City face significant challenges as increasing numbers of reserve soldiers refuse to report for duty, citing exhaustion and disillusionment after nearly two years of the ongoing military operation, The New York Times reported on Thursday.
The “rising discontent” over the past few months threatens to complicate Prime Minister Netanyahu’s plan, which the Security Cabinet approved on August 8. The operation involves displacing around one million Palestinians southward, surrounding the city, and occupying it after intense attacks, the Anadolu news agency reported, citing NYT.
Israel Moves to Call Up 100,000 Reservists for Gaza City Occupation Plan
An additional 60,000 reservists are to be called up, and the service is to be extended for 20,000 more to support the occupation plans. Military officials, however, are unsure about how many will actually serve, as reservist attendance has steadily declined in recent months.
According to the newspaper, around a dozen officers and soldiers described depleted units, with at least two reporting that 40 to 50 percent of reservist colleagues failed to show up for duty. One soldier noted his 100-strong company had dwindled to 60 members, while another infantry soldier reported only half his team responded to recent call-ups.
‘Ideological Grounds’
Other soldiers told the paper they had dropped out, “believing that the war was no longer just”, and a handful who “refused on ideological grounds have served short stints in military prison.”
Most spoke on condition of anonymity because they were worried about reprisals or were not authorized to speak publicly.
Israeli Chief of Staff Warns against Gaza City Occupation, Urges Deal with Hamas
Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Israel’s military chief, reportedly objected to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to expand the Gaza offensive, partly due to concerns over reservist readiness, according to Israeli security officials cited by the newspaper.
Initially, reservist turnout exceeded 100 percent as volunteers rushed to join the fight. However, prolonged conflict has created mounting personal pressures, with soldiers citing strained marriages, career difficulties and mental health concerns.
The paper quoted Omer Dank, an Israeli military analyst who serves in the air force reserves, as saying that there is no “real strategic planning” and that the “current model is unsustainable.” He added, “The army is exhausted.”
‘War Forced Upon Us’
The paper noted military analysts as saying that the system of calling up reservists worked for shorter wars. “But many reservists have now done hundreds of days of active service, turning them into absent fathers, employees and students,” the report stated.
Reserve Captain Ron Feiner received a 25-day military prison sentence for refusing deployment, after having served 270 days, including in Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon. He said the government was “trying to drag out this war…even if it means leaving the hostages behind.”
Understanding Psychological Warfare as Israel Prepares Its New Gaza Offensive
Another Israeli reservist reportedly said his doubts grew after fellow soldiers had set “at least 10 Palestinian homes ablaze as vengeance for the Oct. 7 attacks” while serving in northern Gaza. He said their commanders “had greenlit the practice,” the paper stated.
Another combat soldier on duty in Gaza said that “At the beginning, this was a war which was forced upon us. But come on, that’s no longer the case, and it hasn’t been for a while.”
He added, “This should have ended a long time ago.”
The situation is further complicated by government exemptions for ultra-Orthodox religious students from conscription, creating resentment among repeatedly deployed reservists, who view this as unfair burden-sharing.
Ongoing Genocide
Since reneging on the ceasefire on March 18, Israel has continued its bloody aerial bombardment across the Gaza Strip, killing and wounding thousands of Palestinians.
Starting on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military, with American support, launched a genocidal war against the people of Gaza. This campaign has so far resulted in the deaths of more than 62,900 Palestinians, with more than 159,000 wounded. The vast majority of the population has been displaced, and the destruction of infrastructure is unprecedented since World War II. Thousands of people are still missing.
Ministry of Health: 71 Dead, 339 Wounded in One Day of Israeli Massacres in Gaza
In addition to the military assault, the Israeli blockade has caused a man-made famine, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians—mostly children—with hundreds of thousands more at risk.
Despite widespread international condemnation, little has been done to hold Israel accountable. The nation is currently under investigation for genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.
(Anadolu, PC)
