Operation Gideon’s Chariots – www.israelhayom.com

Israel reservists warn of burnout amid Gaza conquest plans

ErezL — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 22:31:34 +0000

While the Government is preparing for Operation "Gideon's Chariots" Phase B and the conquest of Gaza City, the reservists who are once again called to the flag express complex viewpoints on the harsh reality into which they have been thrust. Three voices from the field – an academic policy manager, a fighter from the border area and a veteran reservist – reveal the gap between the political expectations and the human cost of a protracted war.

Since October 7, tens of thousands of reservists have been coping with a new reality: hundreds of days of service that disrupt routine, career and personal life. Some are serving close to 400 days, some are already undergoing a fourth round, and all are dealing with the difficult question – how long will they be able to continue bearing this heavy burden.

Different viewpoints, shared commitment: All see the task as a privilege and mission, but some call for clearer decisions from the leadership and others demand a more equitable distribution of the military burden. The common thread among them: understanding that the reservists are not an inexhaustible resource, and their perseverance depends on clear strategic decisions and broader support from Israeli society.

"Our ability too will have a limit" | Reservist L.

Yesterday, it was reported that tens of thousands of reservists were mobilized for another emergency call-up in preparation for the planned operation to conquer Gaza City. I do not intend to engage in a debate on the merits of the operation, but I want to shine a spotlight on the people who will carry it out.

At times, I feel that reservists are seen by decision-makers as pawns to be moved around at will. But reservists are not an infinite resource – they have personal lives that include family, relationships, careers, studies, and health, both physical and mental. Every new call-up means a halt to all aspects of their personal lives.

On October 7, when the need to defend the home was so clear, no one questioned it when they dropped everything to enlist – understanding that the war would be hard, but time-limited, with a clear goal in sight. They wanted to believe the leadership sending them to battle knew what they were doing. But one cannot assume that this human resource will remain available and ready for an indefinite period.

At the beginning of the Gideon's Chariots operation, I was called up on short notice, along with many others, with the promise that this time, it would be a decisive operation. And indeed, there was a clear rationale: severing Hamas from its food sources, isolating them from the population to be concentrated in humanitarian areas, and defeating them in the combat zones. But in the end, the population remained dispersed across Gaza, the food distribution model failed, and certain areas remained a safe haven for Hamas. The government yielded to the starvation campaign and the subsequent international pressure. Three months later, we returned to nearly square one, but in the meantime, we exhausted reservists for dozens of additional days.

In my role as an academic policy manager for the National Union of Students, my colleagues and I are currently working on a plan for students who are also serving, preparing for their third academic year amid the war.

We are working closely with the IDF and academic institutions to allow students, to the extent possible, to continue their studies while serving. However, it is important to clarify: as much as everyone has the best intentions, nothing will help students more than a significant reduction in the number of reserve duty days. The same applies to business owners, parents, and working people, who are already paying a tremendous occupational and personal price.

The leaders of the state and the military must understand: we cannot continue relying on hundreds of days of reservists for years on end as a routine matter – not because they won't want to, but because even their capacity will eventually run out. This time, you will have to make a real decision, one way or the other.

The writer is an active reservist in the IDF Artillery Corps and an academic policy manager.

"I know exactly what I'm protecting" | Reservist I.

I am a reservist fighter in the Maglan Unit and a resident of Kibbutz Gaza. Since October 7th, I have already served more than 380 days of reserve duty.

Every new call up notice I receive brings me back to the same point: leaving home, my studies as a university student, my job, and the woman I love. It's hard to explain just how disruptive this is to my routine. I wake up with dreams and plans, and all of a sudden, everything is put on hold.

Smoke rises after an explosion in Gaza, as seen from the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border, July 22, 2025(Reuters/Amir Cohen)

There are moments when it's frustrating. To see others continue with their lives while you're once again packing gear and heading to the field. You ask yourself, why is it that I have to bear such a heavy burden?

But then comes the simple answer: because this is my home. This is where I was born and raised. I have no other country. I grew up in the Gaza area, I know every field and every road here, and I know exactly what I'm protecting.

For me, the quiet at the Gaza border is not just a slogan or an empty phrase. It's the personal security of my family, my parents, my siblings. I want to ensure that they – and all the people of Israel – can return to a safe routine, to the peace that every citizen in this country deserves.

"Sacrifice and mission"

380 days of reserve duty is not just sacrifice – it's also a reminder of the strength we have as a society. It's a mission that keeps me going, knowing that every day there, I'm helping restore security and perhaps bringing closer the day we release our brothers and sisters from captivity.

I'm not ignoring the difficulty, but I choose to see the meaning. For me, being a reservist is not just an obligation – it's a privilege. A privilege to fight for our country, for the home we have no other place but.

IDF troops in the Gaza Strip in 2025 (IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

And at the end of the day, I know that when we return, we'll look back with pride. We'll know we stood by our mission, even when it was tough, we didn't give up. Because this is not only our duty – it's our belief in Zionism and the people of Israel, and nothing will take that away from us.

The writer is a reservist fighter in the Maglan Unit and a resident of Kibbutz Kfar Aza.

Recruits who will merit to bear the burden with us | Reservist M.

Summer. Vacation. I'm with the family in the North, between hiking trails and a spring. The WhatsApp group of reservists is buzzing. After three rounds of reserve duty totaling 250 days, all in the Gaza periphery and Gaza Strip, we were supposed to start another round at Rosh Hashanah, but reports about the intention to conquer Gaza have already passed us by and will likely advance and extend our enlistment.

I look around. Most people, including many Haredim now traveling around the country during the summer break, will soon return home and, at the end of the summer, begin preparing for the Jewish High Holidays. In contrast, my friends and I will leave our families again, and return to the heat of the Gaza Strip, the insane humidity, and yes – the risk to our lives.

Defense Minister Israel Katz speaks with IDF Chief Eyal Zamier in August 2025 (Ariel Hermoni / Defense Ministry) Ariel Hermoni / Defense Ministry

I, along with my fellow reservists in the make up only about 3% of the population, but I don't feel like a sucker – because you can't feel that way when you're protecting the security of the people and the land, the security of your children.

What do I feel? Fatigue, burnout, the great difficulty in transitioning back and forth between long reserve duty stints and a routine that's not really a routine, and back again.

What will help me and my friends? More recruits to proudly share the burden with us. For this, the government must advance a real enlistment law, the military must prepare for a significant intake of Haredim – and of course, fighters from other sectors – and our brothers from the Haredi sector must internalize, understand, and live by the words of Hillel the Elder, "If I am not for myself, who will be for me?"

I'm about to turn 45. I could easily be sitting at home and not lying in the dirt of Gaza. So too, my friend A., who is 50, and another friend, M. who shoots the general purpose machine gun in his unit and who is nearing 55. If they can do it, anyone else can, especially if they're half our age.

We'll defeat this war and the enemy from Gaza by ourselves, but Israel has many enemies – and challenges – and to overcome them, we want to see more sidelocks and beards fighting alongside us, shoulder to shoulder. Come, dear brothers, the coffee's on us.

The writer is a fighter in Battalion 8717, Brigade 261.

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IDF gears up for long Gaza City campaign, reserve troops expected to reach 130000

ErezL — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 22:24:02 +0000

Following Defense Minister Israel Katz's approval of the Israeli Defense Forces' assault plan on Gaza City on Tuesday, the IDF is gearing up for the next stage, Operation Gideon's Chariots II, leveraging the successes of Operation Gideon's Chariots. This week, plans were finalized, though they remain adaptable and subject to change.

The operation will deploy five divisions, 12 brigade battle groups, and two Gaza regional brigades, incorporating reserve and constripted forces across engineering, air, sea, and special units. Preparations are underway – the Givati Brigade launched a maneuver in the Jabalia area on Tuesday – with further steps planned before reservist call-ups.

Simultaneously, humanitarian efforts will persist – the IDF will issue prior warnings to civilians and facilitate safe evacuation. The IDF will surround Gaza City until achieving operational control, with preliminary civilian support measures in progress. These include setting up additional distribution centers, field hospitals, and preparing facilities like the European Hospital to accommodate displaced civilians. Plans also include establishing water and medical services in the Central Camps and Al-Muwasi areas.

Smoke rises in Gaza after an explosion, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, July 7, 2025 (Reuters / Amir Cohen)

A security source noted, "To prepare for relocating Gaza City's population to the south, talks with international organizations have started to establish more field hospitals in southern Gaza, receiving positive feedback. Plans to enhance existing medical infrastructure in the south, in partnership with these organizations, are underway, alongside efforts to open access to additional medical facilities. The UN and other groups have begun developing a plan to resume the activity of the European Hospital as a further medical solution."

For the next phase, current forces' service will be extended by 30–40 days on a case-by-case basis – not all personnel will face extensions, as some have already served over 140 days this year. Approximately 60,000 reservists – equivalent to three brigades and additional battalions, including non-combat roles – will be mobilized, with most not required to report before September 2. Additional call-ups are planned, but flexibility will be maintained through at least November.

Reserve mobilization orders were issued today, with an expected peak of 110,000–130,000 reservists, while regular divisions form the linchpin for the Gaza operation. Some reservists will replace regular forces to support this. Further mobilization waves are scheduled for October or November, with another in early 2026.

Estimates suggest that of Hamas' original five brigades, only two remain – one in Gaza City and one in the Central Camps. Should a deal be secured, the IDF will follow the political leadership's guidance. Forces will prioritize hostage safety, working closely with intelligence to avoid harming captives.

The IDF emphasized that Operation Gideon's Chariots met its goals successfully, controlling 75% of Gaza's territory and neutralizing over 2,000 terrorists. Hamas' military chain of command has been holed up in Gaza City, with extensive infrastructure destroyed – conditions aimed at pushing Hamas toward a diplomatic resolution and hostage release deal.

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IDF controls 50% of Gaza Strip, nears operation objective

ErezL — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 03:02:31 +0000

The IDF has established control over roughly half of Gaza Strip territory through Operation Gideon's Chariots, a senior security source confirmed to Israel Hayom on Thursday. With just over a month remaining, military planners face intense pressure to reach their ambitious territorial objectives.

When Operation Gideon's Chariots launched, IDF leadership established a target of controlling 75% of Gaza's territory within approximately two months. Current progress puts forces in a critical race against time to fulfill the military strategy's original timeline.

Video: Palestinians carrying an IED get eliminated / Credit: IDF

Separately, an ongoing investigation into this week's combat engagement that resulted in three Givati Brigade fatalities has uncovered significant new information about the incident. Investigation findings contradict initial battlefield reports, revealing that the soldiers encountered no more than three explosive devices rather than the 20 devices reported in preliminary accounts.

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