He became 1 of any 300,000 Israeli reservists mobilized at the start of the war, serving for 200 days in 3 combat tours in the Gaza Strip — and another are expected this year — in what became a multifront ground run in confederate Lebanon, Syria and the occupied West Bank.
— We were told to prepare for 5 years of intense fighting," said his wife, Shen Arbel, who helped set up a nonprofit Reservists’ Wives Forum to supply support to tens of thousands of families like hers (as did all the reservists FT spoke to, her household refused to give their name).
With Israel's reopening against Hamas this week, Ittai and thousands of another Israeli defence Force reservists — any of whom service twice as long as he has — are now facing the possible of returning to war immediately.
Prime Minister Binjamin Netanyahu and fresh IDF commander Ejal Zamir threatened that if Hamas refused to release more Israeli hostagesAfter the air run in Gaza, there will be a fresh fierce land offensive.
However, it is not clear how much longer the Israeli armed forces can endure. For most of its history, Israel decided to wage short and effective wars, with most of the campaigns measured in days and weeks to minimize the burden on the reservists he had called for to strengthen the regular army.
Defence analysts and reservists began to inform against expanding usage of the armed forces, which means that their work, families and lives are sidelined.
They besides point to signs of disappointment with Netanjah's goals and his far-right cabinet, which ruled out the end of the fight despite public force to enter into an agreement on the rebound of the remaining hostages held by Hamas.
— For the first time, there may be a chance that any reservists will not be in service," said Amos Harel, a defence analyst in the Haaretz paper and author of a book on civil-military relations.
— This could become a bigger problem if there is no consensus on war.
Zamir, a erstwhile commander of a raw-faced tank that took over the military this month, warned erstwhile he was Deputy Chief of Staff of the IDF in 2021, against Israel's movement towards "minor, intelligent" combat forces dependent on technology, air force and peculiar forces.
He argued that alternatively the country would request a "critical mass" of strength to fight what could in the future be "a heavy, long and multifront campaign". Earlier this period he said, “2025 will be a year of war.”
Menahem Kahana/AFP / AFPCommander of Israel's Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Ejal Zamir (P) at the Cry Wall in the Old Town, Jerusalem, 5 March 2025.
In Israel, most judaic men and women are obliged to enlist for 2 to 3 years at the age of 18. Later, many of them proceed to service in reserves, with an estimated number of 450,000 possibly ready to replenish a permanent army of about 170 1000 soldiers.
However, before the current war, as Shen said, "the IDF reserve agreement established for 30 days a year".
According to IDF data, more than 800 soldiers have been killed since the beginning of the war, and about 6000 have been injured, with any analysts claiming that the second number is higher, taking into account intellectual wellness and PTSD.
The conflict took a devastating toll among Israel's neighbours, with over 48,000 people killed in the Gaza Strip, 4000 in Lebanon and about 1,000 in the West Bank, according to local wellness services. These numbers include civilians and militants.
Israeli military officials say that more than 10,000 soldiers — especially the fresh armored and infantry brigades — are needed to better defend Israel’s borders and “indefinitely” keep buffer zones in neighboring territory.
Mostafa Alkharouf / Anadol / PAPIntervention of Israeli police during the protest of ultraorthodox Jews (Haredi) against compulsory military service, Jerusalem, March 18, 2024.
However, analysts inform that specified changes in the IDF organisational structure will take time. And plans to grow the army will face a bigger challenge: whether to incarnate ultraorthodox young (Haredi) judaic men.
Ultraorthodox, who account for about 14 percent of the population, have been relieved from military service since the uprising of Israel, and this policy faced expanding opposition even before 7 October. The ultimate Court found it unconstitutional, and the vast majority of judaic Israel's society demands that they besides carry out military service.
Netanjah, whose coalition depends on allies HarediHe clearly stated that his government was not going to force the ultraorthodox into the military. According to authoritative data only a fewer 100 Haredi It enlisted in the military over the past year, with more than 10,000 conscript calls sent by the IDF.
According to a survey conducted by the Reserve Wives Forum last November, about 80% of respondents stated that their motivation for service had fallen since the beginning of the war due to both the deficiency of ultraorthodox intake and individual difficulties.
Binjamin, married father of 2 children who served for a period at the start of the war, said that although he wanted to return to service, he could not.
— That would ruin the household," he said. “My wife is incapable to be alone with children, and the company would be closed.
The IDF, which does not print figures on resignations, stated in a message that "there has been no drastic change in haul rates and units are completing their missions".
Several reservists who spoke to the Financial Times said that although it seldom happens that the reservist completely leaves his unit, it is now more likely that he will not appear on a call for training or operating service for individual reasons.
One reserve officer stationed for months close the Gaza border said that the reporting rate in any reserve units had fallen “below half”.
These approximate data were confirmed by Harel, a defence analyst who added that a wider debate on the direction of the war would likely exacerbate anger.
The polls show that more than 60% of Israelis want Netanyahu to make an agreement with Hamas on returning the remaining hostages, even if this means ending the war. However, the Prime Minister, under force from his far-right political allies, promised not to halt fighting until Hamas is eliminated.
Opposition parties and hostage families claim that the escalation will endanger the lives of those inactive held in the Gaza Strip, arguing that the war is politicized to guarantee the endurance of the Netanyahu coalition.
Netanjah's effort to release the head of the national spy agency last week deepened interior confusion, reviving concerns about the constitutional crisis, which, before the attack of 7 October, led thousands of reserveists to suspend service in protest.
AA/ABACA/ PAPA crowd of demonstrators in Habima Square protesting the government of Prime Minister Binjamin Netanyahu, Tel Aviv, Israel, 22 March 2025
Harel said that the reservists could do it again if they felt that "they were to sacrifice themselves to accomplish the actual goals of the utmost right, which are to rebuild the settlements in the Gaza Strip and drive out all Palestinians, not only to destruct Hamas and regain hostages."
In fresh days, the Air Force navigator and intelligence officer have declared that they suspend their service in the reserve, and the second said on X that he would not participate in a war that is not in the "interest of the nation of Israel." They were both fired.
However, regardless of what they think of the Prime Minister, most reservists claim they will proceed to volunteer for what they see as an existential battle.
David was long released from his service in the reserve erstwhile the war broke out, but volunteered to service six months in the Gaza Strip and another in the West Bank of Jordan, even though his wife and children were at home.
He said that although possibly a 4th of his branch had restricted its availability, he was convinced that "people would appear erstwhile we received the call again."
— Our houses are right there, and I'm not leaving my boys," he said. “Eternal War” can service Netanyahu, of course, but there are inactive things we must achieve.
