From the outset, Israel’s campaign has relied on heavy bombardments, ground incursions, and constant deployment of soldiers into hostile territory. Gaza City, with its narrow streets, fortified urban terrain, and entrenched resistance, has forced Israel into a battle of attrition. Unlike open warfare, where air superiority and advanced technology can decisively tilt the balance, urban combat demands an unrelenting presence of troops on the ground. Securing each block, tunnel, or building requires manpower that cannot be easily replaced by drones or artillery. This necessity has stretched Israeli forces across multiple fronts, leaving them exposed to the risks of overextension.
The reliance on Israel’s reservists has further intensified the strain. Israel’s defense doctrine has always depended heavily on its reserve forces, yet the prolonged nature of the conflict has led to repeated mobilizations. Many reservists have been pulled away from families, jobs, and studies, creating societal and economic pressures beyond the battlefield. While the initial waves of mobilization were met with determination and unity, months of recurring deployments are beginning to erode morale. Fatigue and frustration have seeped into the ranks, threatening to weaken the resolve of even the most committed units.
Psychological tolls are also mounting. Soldiers who have remained in combat zones for extended periods face not only physical exhaustion but also emotional strain. The constant threat of ambushes, hidden explosives, and sniper fire in Gaza’s urban maze weighs heavily on their mental state. Studies of prolonged military engagements worldwide show that sustained combat without adequate rotation leads to higher rates of burnout, stress disorders, and lapses in operational effectiveness. Israel’s forces are no exception to this rule, and the strain is beginning to show.
Adding to the challenge is the issue of sustaining public support at home. Families of soldiers, particularly reservists, are bearing the brunt of repeated absences, financial strains, and the uncertainty of when their loved ones will return. Public patience for a protracted campaign may wane if casualties rise and visible progress stalls, creating political pressures that intersect with the military’s operational challenges. In such a scenario, manpower shortages are not just a logistical concern but a social and political dilemma for Israel’s leadership.
Meanwhile, the battlefield in Gaza is designed to sap strength from even the most well-equipped armies. Resistance fighters make use of tunnels, hidden stockpiles, and guerrilla tactics that require Israel to deploy larger numbers of soldiers to root them out. Every neighborhood captured demands a continued presence of troops to secure it, leaving fewer forces available for fresh offensives. This cycle of advance, hold, and rotate is draining Israel’s capacity to push forward at the same tempo it began with.
Strategically, the military faces a paradox. To achieve its objectives, it must press deeper into Gaza City and dismantle remaining resistance networks. Yet doing so requires more troops at a time when its human resources are stretched to their limit. The longer the campaign continues, the greater the danger that units will become overstretched, morale will decline, and operational precision will falter. Analysts warn that in wars of endurance, manpower is as decisive as weaponry; without enough fresh troops, even technologically superior armies risk faltering.
Israel’s leadership is now confronted with a difficult choice: scale back operations to preserve its forces, or continue at full pace and risk exhausting its military beyond repair. Either option carries significant consequences. A slowdown could embolden adversaries and prolong instability, while pressing forward without sufficient manpower could expose the military to critical vulnerabilities.
As the offensive deepens, it is becoming increasingly clear that the defining challenge of this war may not be Gaza’s resistance alone, but Israel’s own ability to sustain its fighting force. Fatigue, limited rotation, and the heavy demands of urban warfare are converging into a problem that could shape the course of the conflict. The question looming over Israel’s campaign is no longer just about tactical gains in Gaza City, but whether its military can endure the strain long enough to achieve lasting strategic outcomes.