As the Israeli army prepares to intensify its attacks in Gaza, the crisis within its reserve forces, considered the “backbone of the army,” is growing.

According to a report in Haaretz, tens of thousands of reserve soldiers are expected to be recalled to duty as Israel prepares to escalate its operations in Gaza. However, army officials report that motivation is declining, and an increasing number of reservists are stating they will not report for duty. Officials indicate that the reasons for this drop in motivation include war fatigue, the lack of clear objectives for the ongoing conflict, and anger towards government policies.

A senior reserve commander informed Haaretz that brigade and battalion commanders are handling numerous cases involving reserve soldiers refusing to report for duty. The most frequently cited reason is the perception that the government is making insufficient efforts to rescue the hostages. This is followed by anger over the proposed law exempting ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service and discontent regarding judicial reform plans.

Another reserve officer reported that soldiers and commanders suffer from severe burnout after serving hundreds of days over the past year. He expressed that they struggle to commit to new missions not only for political reasons but also due to physical and psychological fatigue.

Among those refusing service is combat pilot Alon Gur, who publicly announced his resignation last week after 16 years of service. Declaring his departure from the Air Force, Gur stated on social media, “The line has been crossed,” accusing the government of “prioritizing politics over human life.” After Gur was relieved of duty, other reserve soldiers began taking similar actions, causing significant concern within the army command.

According to Israeli army data, as of February, the reserve participation rate stood at 85%. At the start of the war, however, almost all called-up reservists reported for duty, marking the highest reserve mobilization in Israeli history.

Israel, with its relatively small population, relies on its reserve forces system to sustain the army during prolonged conflicts. This system, which involves recalling individuals who have returned to civilian life after compulsory military service back to active duty when needed, is considered one of the cornerstones of Israel’s security doctrine. This system allows tens of thousands of experienced soldiers to be rapidly deployed to the front lines during times of war or crisis.

According to the 2025 Threat Assessment Report from the US Intelligence Community, the umbrella organization for 18 separate intelligence agencies, Hamas retains the capacity to sustain low-intensity guerrilla warfare and remains a primary political actor in Gaza. In Lebanon, Hezbollah, noted as weakened post-war, is still described as posing a threat to Israel and the US.

According to a report in Haaretz, the assessment predicted that “tension will persist regarding the situation in Gaza, as well as in the Israel-Hezbollah and Israel-Iran dynamics” and stated that Hamas “will continue to pose a threat to Israel’s security even in its weakened state.”

The report also noted that Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel disrupted the diplomatic progress achieved through the Abraham Accords and the trend toward stability in the Middle East.

Pointing out that Hamas has preserved thousands of its fighters and a significant portion of its underground infrastructure, the report warned that the organization “likely used the ceasefire to bolster its military capacity and replenish ammunition stocks.”

The report stated, “Hamas retains the capacity to reignite low-intensity guerrilla resistance and will remain the dominant political actor in Gaza for the foreseeable future. The low expectations among the parties for a permanent ceasefire and the absence of a post-war political and reconstruction plan point towards instability that could last for years.”

Noting that support for Hamas among Palestinians in the West Bank is higher compared to the Palestinian Authority, the report assessed that “the long-term trajectory of Israeli-Palestinian relations will depend on developments in the increasingly unstable West Bank.”

The report also highlighted that the Palestinian Authority’s capacity to provide security and public services in the West Bank is progressively weakening, emphasizing that Israeli operations in the West Bank, attacks by Jewish settlers, and the activities of Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas, could further deepen the governance crisis.

It added, “A potential leadership change within the Palestinian Authority could exacerbate governance challenges. Furthermore, how Israel will govern post-war Gaza and whether its operations in the West Bank will undermine the Palestinian Authority will also be crucial factors.”

The report also drew attention to the fragile dynamics between Israel and Lebanon, warning that a resumption of large-scale Israeli operations in Lebanon could heighten sectarian tensions, weaken Lebanese security forces, and worsen the humanitarian crisis.

The report concluded, “Despite being weakened, Hezbollah retains the capacity to target Americans and US interests regionally and globally, and even, to a limited extent, on US soil.”

According to six sources speaking to Reuters, the US has presented Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which seized power in Syria, with a list of conditions to fulfill in exchange for partial sanctions relief. These conditions reportedly include ensuring foreigners do not hold senior management roles.

Two individuals, an American official and a Syrian source knowledgeable about the matter, told the news agency that US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Levant and Syria Natasha Franceschi conveyed the list of demands during a face-to-face meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaybani. The meeting took place at the Syria donors conference in Brussels on March 18.

The sources indicated that the conditions put forward by the US include Syria “destroying its remaining chemical weapons stockpiles” and “cooperating in the fight against terrorism.”

Additionally, American officials and one source in Washington stated that another demand involves ensuring foreign militants are not appointed to senior government positions within Syria’s administrative structure. Criticism had previously arisen over Syria’s appointment of thousands of foreign militants—including Uyghurs, Jordanians, Chechens, and individuals of other nationalities—to the defense ministry.

According to two sources, Washington also requested that Syria appoint a liaison officer to assist in efforts to locate US journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared in Syria more than a decade ago.

The source also indicated that the US wants Syria to issue a statement supporting its own territorial integrity.

Washington reportedly did not provide a specific timeline for the fulfillment of these conditions.

While the HTS administration has not commented on the matter, the US State Department stated, “We do not discuss our private diplomatic conversations publicly.”

Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce mentioned last week that Washington is monitoring the actions of the interim administrators.