Report: Israel's Reservist Turnout as Low as 50%

Israel's plans for a major offensive in Gaza are running into a problem: a growing number of exhausted reservists are staying home. After nearly two years of intermittent combat, some Israeli reserve soldiers are citing burnout, strains on family life, and career concerns as reasons for skipping call-ups, per the New York Times. Others express doubts about the war's direction, threatening to complicate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's aim to secure Gaza City and defeat Hamas. The Israeli military hopes to mobilize another 60,000 reservists and extend the service of 20,000 more, but officials quietly acknowledge worry about whether enough will answer the call.

While a few soldiers who spoke to the Times maintain that most reservists remain committed, a dozen officers and soldiers describe depleted units—with two estimating turnout as low as 50%. The military, heavily reliant on reservists for its pilot corps and key infantry battalions, isn't sharing official dropout figures. At the war's outset, volunteers showed up enthusiastically, but the long conflict has worn many down. One reservist reports units being granted brief stints in Gaza, followed by longer paid leaves in an effort to retain manpower. Soldiers describe growing resentment, especially as ultra-Orthodox Israelis continue to be exempt from service. Some are refusing to serve in Gaza on ideological grounds, while others cite questionable conduct, such as the burning of homes.