After more than a year of conflict, the Israeli army faces an unprecedented crisis. Between troop fatigue, devastating family impacts and major economic consequences, the country is going through one of the most trying periods in its history.
“In the past, I was juggling my career in high-tech and my family life. Today, I have to accept disappearing for weeks, even months,” confides Ari Krauss, a reservist in the elite Golani Brigade. Like him, thousands of soldiers look for some network every evening in the hills of Gaza to see their children by videoconference.
The figures are dizzying: 80,000 mobilized reservists, broken families, careers on hold. In this country of less than 10 million inhabitants, 350,000 citizens have responded to the call since October 2023. But today, the initial enthusiasm is running out of steam. The engagement rate has fallen by 15%, and certain elite units are seeing their numbers shrink.
The human cost is terrible: more than 800 soldiers lost their lives. Chava Landau Zenilman, widow of a reservist killed in Khan Younes, testifies: “I couldn't sleep when he was in Gaza, dreading every moment the fatal knock at the door. When he came, I was devastated, but I don't regret anything. He fought for our children.”
The Israeli economy is faltering. Growth collapsed by 2% last year, with a further drop of 1.5% expected in 2024. Small businesses are closing, start-ups are failing, and many companies are considering leaving the country.
“I feel like I have to ask my wife for permission for a weekend in Las Vegas, when in reality it's to go fight in Lebanon for weeks,” says a member of the special forces under condition of anonymity. In his unit of 12 men, 7 refused to return. However, some maintain their commitment, like Shmulik Moskovitz, consultant and father of four children, who spent more than 250 days on the front: “We are the country. Without us, there is no Israel.”
This situation highlights the limitations of a military relying on reservists for prolonged warfare, especially as the ultra-Orthodox community remains largely exempt from military service, an issue that continues to fuel tensions within the Israeli company.
