The IDF's plans to invade Gaza City are not about reservist numbers, but whether the IDF can prevent Hamas from fleeing again, hidden among civilians. The big headlines regarding the IDF’s potential Gaza Cityinvasion – might there still be a new ceasefire deal right before or after it starts? – focused on the number of reservists and mandatory service soldiers who will be involved.
Five full invading divisions means somewhere between 25,000 and 50,000 soldiers actively invading, similar to at the start of the war, and the 110,000 to 130,000 potential reservists involved also echoed the early war highs. But after 22 months, these numbers – strategically speaking – if not irrelevant, are not the main issue anymore.
They will have an intense impact on the Israeli population and may continue existing problems with overuse of the reservists and with risking the lives of some sectors of Israel in the military as the haredi sector continues to resist being drafted. But there are bigger issues at stake. (Read More)