 "Israel wants to seize Gaza City, but does it have the manpower to succeed?")
Israel is preparing for one of its largest military operations since the war in Gaza began nearly two years ago.
The Israeli government has authorised an expanded assault on Gaza City, the most populous urban centre in the enclave and a hub for Hamas’ political and military operations.
Yet, as forces move closer to the city, the pressing question is whether the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have the manpower needed to complete such an ambitious operation.
The military has been strained by months of sustained combat, with tens of thousands of reservists recalled multiple times, growing fatigue within the ranks, and visible gaps in leadership.
At the same time, humanitarian agencies warn that the civilian toll could become catastrophic as Israel prepares to push deeper into one of the most densely populated areas in the world.
What is Israel’s Gaza City plan?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear that Gaza City is now the centrepiece of Israel’s war strategy.
He has described the city as one of Hamas’ final strongholds in the north, a place where the group continues to operate both militarily and administratively despite losing leaders and infrastructure in earlier phases of the conflict.
On Wednesday, IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin confirmed that Israeli troops had reached the outskirts of the city. He called the move “the first steps of the larger operation” aimed at breaking Hamas’ grip.
The offensive will focus heavily on dismantling Hamas’ underground tunnel networks, which have allowed fighters to regroup, store weapons, and carry out attacks even after sustaining losses elsewhere.
Netanyahu has ordered the military to shorten the expected timeline for capturing the city. When Israel’s security cabinet first authorised the plan, officials estimated that it might take at least five months.
Now, Netanyahu insists that a faster operation is necessary to end the conflict, despite warnings from his military chief that the pace could worsen strain on soldiers already showing signs of exhaustion.
Does Israel have the manpower?
The IDF’s active-duty force is relatively small and depends heavily on reservists to sustain extended campaigns.
To prepare for the Gaza City offensive, Defense Minister Israel Katz approved the mobilisation of an additional 60,000 reservists and extended the active service of another 20,000 who are already deployed.
In a country with fewer than 10 million people, such a large call-up represents a significant social and economic burden.
Reservists leave behind families and jobs, often with little notice, and many have now been summoned multiple times since October 2023, when Hamas launched its unprecedented attack that set off the war.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warned the security cabinet earlier this month that the army faced “attrition and burnout.” His concerns highlighted the risk that repeated deployments and long-term mobilisation could erode the effectiveness of troops.
But Netanyahu and his coalition partners pushed forward with the operation regardless, insisting that seizing Gaza City was essential.
A study by the Agam Labs at Hebrew University of Jerusalem found that around 40 per cent of soldiers reported being less motivated to serve compared to earlier in the war, while just over 13 per cent said they were more motivated.
This decline in morale reflects the difficulties Israel faces in sustaining momentum for what has already become the country’s longest military conflict.
Are all reservists on board with serving in the military?
A particularly contentious issue fuelling frustration within the ranks is the exemption of ultra-Orthodox men from mandatory military service.
Military leaders have called for the drafting of the ultra-Orthodox community to alleviate the manpower shortage. However, the majority of this community refuses to enlist, and under pressure from ultra-Orthodox political parties, Netanyahu’s government has pursued broader exemptions instead.
This policy has angered many active soldiers and reservists, who see it as unfair that they are repeatedly sent into combat while an entire segment of society is shielded from service.
A small group known as Soldiers for Hostages publicly urged resistance to the latest call-up. “Your children do not know how to refuse on their own, because it is difficult. It is almost impossible,” the group wrote earlier this month.
The IDF does not release data on how many reservists fail to report for duty. Although refusal to serve is technically a punishable offence, the army has rarely enforced penalties during this war, recognising the difficulties of repeatedly recalling individuals.
Meanwhile, the strain is not only among reservists. The IDF has acknowledged for the first time that its forces are “significantly depleted,” estimating a shortfall of around 7,500 soldiers.
Reports in the Hebrew-language press state that the army currently lacks about 300 platoon commanders in ground combat units. The shortage has forced the military to appoint experienced sergeants as acting commanders in a stopgap measure.
How is Israel planning to fill the manpower gap?
To compensate for shortages, the military is now looking beyond Israel’s borders. According to reports on Army Radio, the IDF is considering outreach to Jewish communities abroad, particularly in the United States and France, to encourage enlistment among young adults aged 18 to 25.
The proposal envisions recruiting 600-700 soldiers per year from the Jewish Diaspora, with officials noting that the total recruitment potential could be more than 10,000 annually.
The initiative is still in its early stages, but senior officials have pointed out that “reality requires creative thinking, and appealing to the Jewish sentiment of the Diaspora communities may be a way to enhance the ranks and help reduce the shortage.”
Alongside efforts to encourage voluntary enlistment from abroad, the IDF has offered last-chance opportunities for Israelis who had not responded to their draft notices to join through an accelerated process.
Are all Israelis on board with the Gaza City plan?
Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets in recent weeks demanding a ceasefire. Many argue that the government has failed to secure the release of hostages, while prolonging the war for political gain.
There are still around 50 hostages in captivity, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Families of captives have been some of the loudest voices opposing the Gaza City offensive, fearing that the operation will jeopardise their loved ones.
Former military and intelligence chiefs have also echoed these concerns, calling for a negotiated truce rather than an expanded ground campaign.
Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected proposals for a ceasefire unless they include the complete defeat of Hamas.
“Complete defeat of Hamas” has become the cornerstone of his government’s messaging, even as critics argue that the prolonged war is eroding Israel’s military strength and international standing.
The prime minister’s insistence on continuing the conflict contrasts sharply with earlier promises. In February 2024, Netanyahu told CBS that once Israel entered Rafah in southern Gaza, “the intense phase of the fighting is weeks away from completion, not months, weeks away from completion.”
Nearly 18 months later, the war is not only ongoing but entering yet another violent phase.
Even as the war focuses on Gaza, Israel continues controversial policies in the occupied West Bank. On the same day Netanyahu pressed for faster military action in Gaza City, his government gave final approval for a settlement project east of Jerusalem in an area known as E1.
Critics warn that the development would effectively split the West Bank in two, undermining the possibility of a future Palestinian state.
This move has further fuelled criticism of Israel’s wartime policies, with rights groups arguing that the government is using the conflict as cover to accelerate settlement expansion.
Meanwhile, what is happening in Gaza?
While the military prepares to capture Gaza City, humanitarian conditions across the enclave continue to deteriorate. The United Nations reports that child malnutrition has tripled in less than six months.
Lazzarini of UNRWA described the situation as “a man-made, preventable starvation,” calling attention to the severe restrictions Israel has placed on aid entering the territory.
The Gaza Health Ministry, run by Hamas but staffed by medical professionals, reports that over 62,000 people have been killed during Israel’s offensive.
Women and children account for roughly half of the deaths.
Since late June, the ministry has recorded 154 adult deaths from malnutrition-related causes and 112 such deaths among children.
On Wednesday, at least 27 Palestinians were killed and more than 100 injured at the Zikim crossing in northwestern Gaza after a crowd rushed toward a UN convoy carrying humanitarian supplies.
“The majority of casualties were killed by gunshots fired by the Israeli troops,” said Fares Awad, head of the Health Ministry’s ambulance and emergency service in northern Gaza. He added that some victims died in the stampede that followed.
A full-scale assault on Gaza City would only deepen the humanitarian crisis in an area already devastated by Israeli airstrikes and mass displacement.
Arab mediators and Hamas announced this week that the group’s leadership had accepted the conditions of a proposed 60-day ceasefire, though past declarations of agreement have failed to produce a durable truce.
Both Egypt and Qatar have stated that they are now awaiting Israel’s official reply.
With inputs from agencies
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