After 20 months of attrition in Gaza, an existential crisis is sweeping Israeli occupation army
OCCUPIED QUDS, July 16 (YPA) – The battles in Gaza have proven to be more than just an ordinary battlefield. They have transformed into a systematic depletion of the capabilities of the Israeli occupation army, which is facing one of its most serious manpower crises in history.
According to a recent report by the Institute for National Security Studies in the Israeli entity, the occupation army is facing “one of the most serious manpower crises in its history” and is in dire need of tens of thousands of new soldiers to compensate for the severe shortage in light of the ongoing attrition and fighting on multiple fronts.
The institute mentioned the results of a poll on conscription indicated that 71 percent of settlers believe that exempting most “Haredim” from military service will harm their motivation to serve, and 42 percent of settlers believe that exempting Haredim will discourage their children from serving.
According to Hebrew media reports, the total losses since October 2023 are
– 890 soldiers killed
– 10,000 soldiers wounded
– 44 soldiers committed suicide due to psychological trauma.
Losses in 2025
– 50 killed and 118 wounded from the beginning of the year until July 8
– 20 killed in June alone, making it the bloodiest month of 2025
– 15 suicides since the beginning of 2025 (after 21 in 2024)
Losses from recent operations:
– Beit Hanoun ambush: 5 soldiers killed and 14 wounded
– Khan Yunis operation on June 24: 15 soldiers killed
– APC attack: 1 officer and 6 soldiers killed
These official figures announced by the Israeli army itself may be lower than the reality, as the Palestinian resistance asserts that the actual losses are much higher.
The current crisis within the Israeli occupation army reveals a historical paradox, as one of the most technologically advanced armies in the region is suffering from an existential crisis in its basic manpower.
It appears that the Palestinian resistance in Gaza has succeeded not only in inflicting material losses on the Israeli army but also in undermining confidence in the military system as a whole. This represents a strategic victory whose repercussions may be deeper and more far-reaching than any tactical victory on the ground.
YPA