As Israel gears up for a major new offensive in Gaza City, the nation finds itself at a crossroads—not only on the battlefield, but also within its own ranks. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) recently called up between 40,000 and 60,000 reservists to support the planned operation, which is set to begin on September 11, 2025, and expected to last at least 70 days. This mobilization, one of the largest in the nearly two-year-long war, has exposed deep divisions and mounting exhaustion among those being asked to serve yet again.
According to AFP and The Wall Street Journal, the call-up comes at a time when Israeli troops are already stretched thin. Many reservists have spent months, even years, cycling in and out of combat zones, leaving behind families, jobs, and studies. One commander, as reported by Wall Street Journal, has accumulated 580 days of service since the war began. Another master sergeant in the 98th commando division, who has fought for 400 days across Gaza and Lebanon, reflected the growing sense of futility among soldiers: “People are dying for nothing and Netanyahu is prolonging the war for his own political survival.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied such accusations, but the sentiment is widely held in parts of Israeli society.
The war’s toll is staggering. As of September 2, 2025, more than 63,600 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry—figures the United Nations considers reliable. Israeli airstrikes killed at least 56 people on a single day, September 2, as reported by AFP. Nearly a million people remain in Gaza City, where famine has been declared. Most of Gaza’s population of over two million has been displaced at least once during the conflict. “There is no place for us to go, and no means to get there. We are exhausted physically and mentally from displacement and from the war,” said Amal Abdel-Aal, a 60-year-old Gaza City resident, in a phone interview with AFP.
On the Israeli side, the psychological and societal strain is equally acute. Recent surveys indicate that about 12% of reservists show signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Families are under immense pressure, with many reservists reporting lost jobs, divorces, and financial hardship due to their prolonged absences. Dalit Kislev Spektor, whose husband has served 580 days in Gaza, described her fears to Wall Street Journal: “I told him ‘The war is political, because none of us believes in our leadership. If it was up to me, I would ask you not to go.’” She now leads a group advocating for more responsible war management, echoing a sentiment that’s gaining traction among military families.
The IDF has acknowledged the challenges. To ease the burden, commanders are implementing a more flexible deployment model: one week on duty followed by one week off, during the extended 90-day tour. Additionally, the military plans to extend the service of 20,000 active-duty reservists, on top of those already called up. Still, the struggle to fill the ranks is real. Commanders have resorted to sending WhatsApp messages to student groups, seeking volunteers for critical roles. One message read: “I’m looking for combat soldiers, mainly medics and snipers for an operation of 70 days starting on September 11. If there are reservists who are interested please message me privately.”
This shortage of willing reservists is not new, but it has become more acute as the war drags on. According to The Wall Street Journal, the initial rush of volunteers seen after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack has faded. Many reservists now question the purpose of repeated call-ups. Some cite exhaustion, others ideological objections or moral concerns. One reservist said he stopped showing up after witnessing a commander request permission to dump wounded Palestinian women in a humanitarian zone following a mistaken shooting. “The more question marks there are around the justification of the fighting, the more people will be hesitant to show up,” said Idit Shafran Gittleman, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. “We are very close to the red line.”
Public opinion in Israel has shifted sharply. Polls in July and August 2025 show that up to 80% of Israelis support a deal to end the fighting and bring hostages home. Three-quarters back a prisoner exchange deal for those held by Hamas. Thousands of veterans and reservists have signed petitions calling for a swift end to the war, a stark contrast to the unity and resolve felt after the initial attacks. Yet, despite growing doubts, many reservists continue to report for duty out of loyalty to their comrades. “We are willing to give up our lives,” said Aviad Yisraeli, a combat medic, “but the obvious truth is that we are dying now for no reason.”
The burden of military service is not shared equally across Israeli society. There is particular resentment over the government’s push to exempt the ultra-Orthodox community from conscription. Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the IDF’s chief of staff, has argued that solidarity is essential for national resilience. Zamir also opposed a full occupation of Gaza in a recent security-cabinet meeting, citing manpower shortages as a key concern, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
For now, most reservists are expected to serve along Israel’s borders or in the West Bank, freeing active-duty soldiers for the front lines in Gaza. The coming offensive is set against a backdrop of mounting international pressure on Israel to halt its campaign. Belgium, Australia, Canada, and France have all announced plans to recognize the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly. Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross has warned that any attempt to evacuate Gaza City would be impossible to conduct safely or humanely.
Inside Gaza, despair is mounting. “We have come to wish for death,” said Abdel-Aal, echoing the hopelessness felt by many. Humanitarian zones designated by Israel, such as Al-Mawasi, are overcrowded and lack essential services, according to the United Nations. The military’s Arabic-language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, has warned of the expansion of combat operations and urged Gazans to seek refuge in these areas, but residents report that there is simply nowhere left to go.
As the war enters its next phase, the Israeli government faces a dilemma: how to sustain a prolonged military campaign when public support is waning and the human cost—on both sides—continues to rise. For the reservists, the choice between duty and conscience grows more agonizing with each passing day. The coming weeks may well determine not just the fate of Gaza City, but the future of Israel’s social fabric and its ability to weather one of the most divisive conflicts in its history.