Israeli paper says ground forces in Gaza reveals deep military, strategic crisis

An article published by the Hebrew Maariv newspaper addressed the crisis in Israeli military performance in the Gaza Strip, highlighting what it described as the “collapse” of the army’s ground forces, in contrast to the air force’s superiority in attacks on Iran.

The article considered the disparity a revelation of the Israeli defence system fragility in the absence of an effective ground force due to long-standing neglect in preparing the ground forces and the home front, as opposed to an excessive reliance on the air force capabilities.

The article emphasised that military and political decision-makers have not realised the extent of the transformations in the nature of contemporary warfare, especially the importance of the home front and the necessity of possessing a ground force capable of decisive action and border protection.

The article described the war on Gaza as “misguided”, leading to the continued depletion of Israeli forces, without achieving its stated goals, such as toppling Hamas’s rule or freeing Israeli captives in Gaza.

The newspaper concluded its article by warning of escalating threats, both internal and external, and asserted that the continuation of the war in Gaza serves only narrow political interests, without a clear strategic vision.