Israeli Army Chief Calls for Expanded Forces Amid Gaza War and Regional Escalations

Watan-Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir stated on Wednesday that the Israeli military needs more troops to alleviate the burden on its reservists.

His remarks came during a tour of Israeli forces in northern Gaza, which has endured 20 consecutive months of genocidal war.

Zamir declared:“This week we operated in Beirut, struck in the Dahiyeh (southern suburb), and our navy attacked in Yemen, as well as in other locations.”

He emphasized:“But Gaza remains the central arena.”

Since October 7, 2023, Israel has waged a genocidal war in Gaza, marked by mass killings, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement—in defiance of international appeals and International Court of Justice orders.

The war, backed by U.S. support, has resulted in over 182,000 Palestinian deaths and injuries, most of them women and children, with more than 11,000 missing and hundreds of thousands displaced, as famine claims more lives daily.

Zamir added:“Hamas’s threat won’t remain behind the border fence. We must continue to defeat it and dismantle its terrorist infrastructure and leadership.”

He claimed that the army is evolving operationally:“We’re making adjustments, forming new units within both the regular and reserve forces to meet combat demands.”

He also announced the approval of a comprehensive force-building plan, including the formation of an additional division, a tank brigade, an infantry brigade, and other formations.

Zamir stressed:“Israel cannot rely on a smaller military force. Expanding both active and reserve forces will relieve pressure on reservists.”

He concluded:“The battle is not over. We must continue until all our hostages are returned and the enemy is defeated.”

Israel’s War Drags On with No Clear Victory as Criticism of Netanyahu Mounts

Despite this prolonged campaign, Israel has yet to achieve its stated war goals, including the return of its hostages and the complete destruction of Hamas’s military capabilities.

According to Israeli estimates, 56 Israeli captives remain in Gaza, 20 of them alive, while over 10,400 Palestinians are imprisoned in Israeli jails, enduring torture, starvation, and medical neglect, which has led to multiple deaths, according to human rights reports.

Zamir stated the military would soon adopt new combat strategies to shorten the war and reduce the burden on troops—though he provided no further details.

Critics, including opposition politicians and hostage families, accuse Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, of prolonging the war to satisfy the far-right elements of his coalition and maintain his grip on power.

Israel continues to occupy land in Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon in defiance of international law, refusing to allow the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital based on pre-1967 borders.