The Israeli army faces a “deep crisis”

On November 12, 2025, a new and alarming report was released regarding the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Israeli Channel 12 highlighted a “deep crisis” within the military, as thousands of Israeli soldiers are seeking to leave the service and retire early.

Channel 12’s shocking report

The report considered that the IDF “is facing one of the most serious crises it has experienced in recent years,” especially following Hamas’ October 7 surprise attack and the subsequent war on the Gaza Strip.

It stated that “thousands of regular soldiers are seeking to be discharged quickly and do not want to continue their service,” noting that “this is a widespread phenomenon that includes all ranks and levels in the Israeli army.”

The channel attributed the reasons for this phenomenon to 4 main causes: the exhaustion and fallout resulting from the recent war, the worsening service conditions of the soldiers, the damage caused by political tensions, and the discontent over the way some recent appointments in the army’s leadership were made.

The report coincided with news regarding the retirement of Israeli Col. Avichay Adraee, the Arabic-language spokesperson of the IDF, after almost 20 years of service.

Israel’s authorities on the move

Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, along with the head of the Personnel Directorate Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa, are reportedly dealing with this crisis with great attention, as they are “aware of the magnitude of the problem.” Simultaneously, work is being undergone on “developing a plan to assist the military personnel and trying to prevent any legislation that could negatively affect their working conditions.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, approved a decision to grant incentives to permanent military personnel in the army worth 3.25 billion shekels (about $1 billion). Netanyahu claimed that “the government stands by the permanent service members, who form the backbone of the Israeli army and dedicate their lives to Israel’s security,” adding that “the decision will increase the support we provide in the areas of housing, education, and special benefits for our spouses and permanent service members.”