Growing War Fatigue in Israel, According to WaPo
The US newspaper reports that an increasing number of reservists are not attending military service after more than a year of ongoing hostilities. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The Washington Post reported on Sunday that Israel is facing a rising sense of war fatigue after more than a year of the Gaza conflict. The economic impact is being felt as a result of the absence of hundreds of thousands of men called to military service.
Israel initiated its military operations in Gaza following a surprise incursion by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 250 kidnappings, many of which involved civilians.
The heavy airstrikes and ground operations by Israel in the densely populated region have reportedly led to over 44,000 Palestinian deaths, with more than 104,000 injured, based on figures from the Hamas-controlled health authorities in Gaza. Palestinian officials assert that a significant portion of those affected are civilians.
According to the newspaper, “increasingly, some [Israeli reservists] are choosing not to report for duty, putting further strain on an overextended military.” Nadav Shoshani, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, indicated last week that military enlistment numbers had dropped by about 15% since the conflict began last October.
This conflict marks the longest in Israel’s contemporary history and has seen “unprecedented” losses. The IDF reports that at least 804 military personnel have died since the conflict started, with over 5,400 sustaining injuries.
An anonymous Israeli reservist from a special forces unit shared with the newspaper that his team of 12 is now down to five because seven members did not show up for duty. He expressed frustration, stating, “I feel like the government is making me ask my wife for a weekend with the boys in Vegas, but actually it’s to go for weeks into Lebanon to defend the country.”
The Washington Post also highlighted that many Israeli women have been forced to cut back on work hours as they manage their households and children alone, further impacting national productivity due to the extended call-ups of male reservists.
Gayil Talshir, a political analyst at Hebrew University, noted that “wherever you look – the economic crisis, the toll on the reservists and their families, and of course the dead and the wounded – Israeli society is definitely at the edge of its capacity.”
In response to the increasing personnel shortages, the IDF is reportedly considering extending mandatory military service and raising the maximum age for reservists, according to the Washington Post.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
Israel initiated its military operations in Gaza following a surprise incursion by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 250 kidnappings, many of which involved civilians.
The heavy airstrikes and ground operations by Israel in the densely populated region have reportedly led to over 44,000 Palestinian deaths, with more than 104,000 injured, based on figures from the Hamas-controlled health authorities in Gaza. Palestinian officials assert that a significant portion of those affected are civilians.
According to the newspaper, “increasingly, some [Israeli reservists] are choosing not to report for duty, putting further strain on an overextended military.” Nadav Shoshani, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, indicated last week that military enlistment numbers had dropped by about 15% since the conflict began last October.
This conflict marks the longest in Israel’s contemporary history and has seen “unprecedented” losses. The IDF reports that at least 804 military personnel have died since the conflict started, with over 5,400 sustaining injuries.
An anonymous Israeli reservist from a special forces unit shared with the newspaper that his team of 12 is now down to five because seven members did not show up for duty. He expressed frustration, stating, “I feel like the government is making me ask my wife for a weekend with the boys in Vegas, but actually it’s to go for weeks into Lebanon to defend the country.”
The Washington Post also highlighted that many Israeli women have been forced to cut back on work hours as they manage their households and children alone, further impacting national productivity due to the extended call-ups of male reservists.
Gayil Talshir, a political analyst at Hebrew University, noted that “wherever you look – the economic crisis, the toll on the reservists and their families, and of course the dead and the wounded – Israeli society is definitely at the edge of its capacity.”
In response to the increasing personnel shortages, the IDF is reportedly considering extending mandatory military service and raising the maximum age for reservists, according to the Washington Post.
Max Fischer contributed to this report for TROIB News
