- Israel’s military faces a historic manpower crisis as tens of thousands of reservists refuse to report for duty in Gaza.
- Soldiers call the war a political move with no clear end, citing exhaustion, trauma, and distrust in Netanyahu’s leadership.
- Commanders are accused of hiding dropout rates, with some units operating at just 50-70% capacity.
- Reservists describe moral collapse, witnessing atrocities and friendly-fire incidents that push them to abandon service.
- Netanyahu’s insistence on continuing the war clashes with public demand for a hostage deal, risking Israel’s military and social stability.
The Israeli military is facing its worst manpower crisis in decades as tens of thousands of reservists refuse to report for duty in the latest escalation of the Gaza war. With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushing for a full-scale assault on Gaza City, the army has called up roughly 60,000 reservists, only to find many refusing to participate in what they call a "political war" with no clear end.
This isn’t just about fatigue. It’s about moral collapse.
A war without purpose
For nearly two years, Israeli soldiers have been fighting in Gaza, Lebanon, and the West Bank, enduring repeated deployments that have shattered families, careers, and mental health. Now, as Netanyahu demands another offensive, reservists are saying enough.
One master sergeant in the 98th Commando Division, who has fought for 400 days since October 2023, told The Wall Street Journal that soldiers are "dying for nothing" except Netanyahu’s political survival. Another reservist, speaking to Haaretz, dismissed the idea that the assault on Gaza City has anything to do with rescuing hostages: "No one can tell me any fairy tales after 280 days of fighting in Gaza. I know Gaza, unfortunately. The conquest of Gaza has nothing to do with bringing back the hostages."
The military’s response? According to reports, commanders are manipulating attendance numbers to hide the scale of the refusal. Haaretz revealed that the army plans to "obscure" the real dropout rates, while The Jerusalem Post noted that some units now have only 50-70% of their reservists reporting—down from near-universal compliance at the war’s start.
"Gray refusal" spreads like wildfire
Most of those skipping duty aren’t ideological objectors; they’re ordinary Israelis who have simply had enough. Dubbed "gray refusers," they’re exhausted, traumatized, and disillusioned. Many have lost jobs, marriages, or financial stability due to endless deployments. Others are horrified by what they’ve seen in Gaza.
One reservist told The Wall Street Journal he stopped showing up after witnessing his unit shoot three Palestinian women, killing one, and then casually dump the wounded in a "humanitarian zone."
"I couldn’t serve anymore," he said.
Even among those still reporting, morale is collapsing. A 31-year-old combat engineer, whose service was extended until November, said his unit’s motivation has plummeted. He admitted that his commanders were putting soldiers at risk, adding that he requested a transfer out of combat after a friendly-fire incident.
The crisis isn’t just about manpower. It’s about trust. Polls show 80% of Israelis want a hostage deal to end the war, yet Netanyahu keeps pushing for more bloodshed. His government has even exempted ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service, further enraging reservists who feel abandoned.
"The war is political, because none of us believes in our leadership," said Dalit Spektor, whose husband has served 580 days in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the death toll mounts. More than 63,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, with thousands more starving under Israel’s blockade. Neonatal deaths and miscarriages have doubled. And yet, Netanyahu insists on pressing forward, even as his own military warns of a manpower disaster.
The breaking point
Israel’s military was built on the idea of a "people’s army" made up of citizen-soldiers defending their nation. But now, that bond is fracturing. "Refusal is refusal—even when it is said implicitly and in laundered language," Netanyahu snapped after 1,000 Air Force reservists demanded a hostage deal.
Yet the more he forces the war, the more soldiers walk away. "The legitimacy of the regime is in danger," warned Yael Berda, a Hebrew University sociologist.
For now, some reservists keep showing up out of loyalty to their comrades. But how long will that last?
It is clear that Israel’s military can’t sustain this war forever. And if Netanyahu won’t stop it, his own soldiers might.
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