While the IDF continues preparations for a possible takeover of Gaza City, hundreds of reservists have already reported to induction bases in the Negev.
Liran, from Dimona, arrived Tuesday morning for his fourth round of duty, accompanied by his wife, who said she had hoped he would stay home. “I’ve already done a little over 300 days, but there was never a thought of not coming,” he said. “When one soldier doesn’t show up, it lowers the morale of the whole unit. I’m here mainly for my friends.”
His wife described her struggle: “The situation is awful. We got married a year ago, after October 7. It’s hard and there’s a lot of fear. I have mixed feelings. Even last time I told him, ‘maybe just don’t go out this round,’ but there’s no one to talk to. Luckily, I have people supporting me.”
Adiel, from Netivot, also accompanied her partner as he reported for a third round of service. “I wanted to tell him to get an exemption, but he said he won’t abandon his friends,” she said. Her partner, a 35-year-old combat soldier, added: “I’m going in. It’s hard, but I told her I need to defend the country. That’s why I enlisted as a fighter. This is what we have to do—there’s no one else. Everyone sacrifices a lot, but this is the call of the hour.”
Yuval, a 54-year-old reservist from Kochav Yair-Tzur Yigal, volunteered to return to service after seven years out of uniform. “For every soldier who steps down, someone else needs to step in,” he said. “I came back to reserves after the protests. I used to operate drones and looked for a unit that would take me. I found a group of reservists and eventually returned to my unit. Since then, I’ve done 300 days of reserve duty.”
Yuval voiced frustration with military leadership. “I think they’re preventing us from winning. We could have finished this war in three months, but the top command is tying our hands,” he argued. “If needed, I’ll be here even ten years. It’s a huge sacrifice—my wife is alone at home and it’s hard for everyone—but my motivation hasn’t dropped one bit. The people on the ground are animals; they’d leave home a hundred times to defend the state without hesitation. Those who are here are not the ones whose motivation has worn out. We’ll be here until there’s no Hamas left in Gaza and no chance of another October 7.”
Roughly 40,000 reservists began reporting for duty under emergency Call-Up Order 8 at training bases Tuesday morning, as the army prepares for Operation Gideon's Chariots II.
In recent days, the IDF tried to gauge how many would respond, after turnout in recent rounds averaged only 60 to 70 percent, forcing the military to scale back operational missions in several sectors. According to early assessments from reserve officers, even under the best scenario, turnout this time is unlikely to be much higher.
Details of the large-scale ground maneuver, planned by Southern Command for the takeover of Gaza City, were first revealed last month. At its peak, the operation is expected to involve about 130,000 reservists and five regular divisions. The army has said it will be a phased operation to “take control of Gaza,” lasting into 2026, while stressing that the safety of hostages will be safeguarded and that troops will be rotated in a “long-term operation with a dynamic, evolving plan that will also take into account the possibility of a deal during its course.”
Last week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir reiterated the importance of sharing the burden of service equally. “Against the backdrop of challenges on all fronts, Israel’s security requires the full participation of all parts of the nation," he said during a visit to Gaza. "This is a civic duty and a national calling. I call on everyone to enlist and contribute equally—this is the need of the hour.”
Zamir praised reservists as the backbone of Israel’s defense: “Thanks to our reservists, Israel stands tall against all enemies. Your sacrifice is an inspiration to us all. Conscripts, career soldiers and tens of thousands of reservists are answering the call and sacrificing their personal lives, together with their families, for the security of the state. You embody the deepest expression of Israeli solidarity and commitment to the country’s future.”
He added that the army would “do everything to create stability and ease the burden on reservists, understanding that this is a precious national resource. Against challenges on all fronts, we cannot accept a situation where not all parts of society share the burden. Israel’s security demands full participation. This is both a civic duty and a national calling, and all of us must answer it.”