“Israeli” General Sounds Alarm Over Deepening Army Manpower Collapse

By Staff, Agencies

“Israeli” reserve general and military analyst Itzhak Brik has issued a stark warning that the entity’s army is experiencing “the worst manpower crisis in its history,” as chronic shortages in personnel threaten its operational capacity.

Writing in the Hebrew-language daily “Maariv”, Brik revealed that thousands of officers and non-commissioned officers have recently avoided service—either by refusing call-up orders or by declining to renew their contracts.

The crisis comes after two years of the “Israeli” entity’s devastating war on Gaza, during which it claims to have lost 923 troops and recorded 6,399 injuries. Under strict military censorship, reports continue to suggest that real losses are significantly higher but are being concealed to safeguard morale.

At the same time, approximately 20,000 soldiers are believed to be suffering from post-traumatic stress, according to “Israeli” media citing military data.

Brik wrote that many officers are seeking immediate discharge, while younger recruits show little interest in long-term service commitments.

As a result, the army is facing a severe shortage of trained personnel across numerous branches. The depletion is now affecting essential functions, including equipment maintenance and the operation of combat systems.

The retired general cautioned that the problem could soon make the army unable to function effectively. He attributed the crisis to a long chain of chiefs of staff who, he said, implemented misguided policies. These included major cuts to professional manpower and shortened service terms—three years for men and two for women—creating structural gaps that he argues cannot be quickly repaired.

According to Brik, these policies pushed out experienced professionals while placing unprepared individuals in critical positions, leaving them unable to cope with the demands of today’s battlefield.

He also pointed to longstanding failures in the army’s human resources division, which he said has lacked professionalism and responsibility in addressing fundamental staffing needs.

The army is additionally hampered by what Brik described as “information blindness,” the result of outdated systems and disjointed databases that prevent effective manpower planning.

He warned that if left unaddressed, the manpower shortage could escalate into a full paralysis of the “Israeli” army.

Since October 2023, the “Israeli” entity has martyred at least 70,103 Palestinians—most of them women and children—and injured 170,985 others during a two-year assault on the Gaza Strip that has left much of the enclave in ruins. The offensive has destroyed homes and civilian infrastructure, worsening the suffering of the surviving population.

International bodies, including the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry and the International Association of Genocide Scholars, have concluded that the “Israeli” entity’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide.