Over a year into the Gaza war, Israel’s military reservists are experiencing exhaustion, and the army faces challenges in recruitment as it opens a new front in Lebanon.
Since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, the Israeli army has mobilized approximately 300,000 reservists, with 18 percent of them being men over the age of 40 who would typically qualify for exemption. Mandatory military service begins at 18 for Israeli men and women, though certain exemptions apply.
Israel is currently engaged in a multi-front conflict, targeting Hamas in Gaza and the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Since the launch of its ground offensive in Gaza on October 27 last year, Israel has lost 367 soldiers in Gaza and 37 in Lebanon, where it began ground operations on September 30.
Reserve duty periods have been extended, with some reservists voicing frustration over prolonged absences from their normal lives—up to six consecutive months in some cases. Reservist Ariel Seri-Levy expressed the strain in a widely shared social media post, saying, “We’re drowning.”
Having been called up four times since the October 7 attack, Seri-Levy also spoke out against those pushing for Israel to remain in Lebanon and Gaza. “We have to end this war because we are out of soldiers,” he said, adding that while he still believes in national service, “the concessions have become too great.”
