IDF notes dramatic decline in reservist response rate after more than year of war

Following the Hamas Oct. 7 invasion and terror attack on Israel last year, more than 100% of Israeli reservist soldiers reported for duty. However, in recent weeks, there has been a dramatic drop in the reservist response rate, unnamed sources informed The Times of Israel on Monday.

The sources estimated that the reservist response rate has fallen to between 75% to 85%, likely due to burnout after more than a year of fighting against Iranian proxies in the region, including Hamas terrorists in Gaza and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.

Following the Hamas attack which resulted in the massacre of 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 251 Israelis and foreign nationals last October, the Israeli military mobilized about 300,000 soldiers in just 48 hours. This was the largest call-up of reservists in the Jewish state's military history.

At the onset of the war, Israeli reservists demonstrated exceptional motivation, with turnout rates reaching up to 150% in certain IDF units. This remarkable response was driven by the dedication of reservists, many of whom reported for duty even without receiving a formal call-up order.

In addition to the physical and mental burnout among reservists after months of difficult service, the protracted war has negatively impacted the family and professional lives of the reservist soldiers. Many have lost their jobs while others are unable to pursue their academic studies amid the war.

The decline in reservist response rate is reportedly also linked to growing anger over the country’s failure to draft a large number of soldiers from among the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) community. Many Israeli citizens have argued that the status quo is untenable and demand that eligible Haredi men contribute to the nation's growing security needs.

At the end of October, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi argued for an expansion of the Israeli military to meet various security challenges.

“The IDF needs to be larger, both in regular forces and reserves, and therefore, we’re building more forces,” Halevi stated.

He urged the religious men to join the IDF while praising an ultra-Orthodox soldier who was wounded in battle against Hamas terrorists in Gaza.

“And I’m telling you, our question is how we create many more like him. That’s what’s socially right, and I believe if we can grow from this war with the understanding that the IDF needs to be larger, there might be a very positive social transformation as well," Halevi stated.

Following the Hamas attack last year, the Israeli military noted a dramatic increase in ultra-Orthodox enlistment. However, after more than a year of war, it appears to have lost much of its momentum.

A poll in July, indicated that 59% of ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel were open to IDF enlistment provided that the military would enable them to combine military service with the preservation of the religious lifestyle. During the past year, only a small minority of the 63,000 eligible Haredi men served in the IDF.