‘We believe in what we are doing’: IDF commando reservists describe a year of war

In a stand of trees that sits at the bottom of a gently sloping hill, there were several soldiers. They were gathered around a jeep and talking about the day’s exercise.

It was a warm day in late September. These were Israeli army reservists who have served for most of the past year in the war against Hamas. They were also among Israel’s elite commandos, who have played a major role in defeating terrorism.

I went to meet this unit of commandos during an important time in the war against Hamas and Hezbollah. It was just before the IDF launched its ground incursion in Lebanon against Hezbollah. This was as the IDF was increasing its pressure on Hezbollah via airstrikes targeting senior and mid-level commanders of the group.

For instance, Hassan Nasrallah was killed on September 27. Prior to the beginning of limited ground operations in Lebanon, the IDF transferred the 98th Division to northern Israel. This division includes the IDF’s Commando Brigade.

It’s worth understanding the singular role the Commando Brigade played in this capacity under the 98th Division to understand how the commandos have helped defeat Hamas and will play a key role in defeating Hezbollah. The 98th Division was involved in clearing Khan Yunis of terrorists, for instance. In tough battles from December 2023 to April 2024, the IDF uprooted Hamas in Khan Yunis. Khan Yunis is the hometown of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

One of the key elements used to keep the commandos fighting at the tip of the spear in places like Gaza is the logistics that keeps supplies moving to the units. What this means is moving food, water, ammunition, and other supplies to the front.

However, for commandos it’s not just about driving trucks to a front line because they are fighting in the most complex environments. One of the officers in the commandos’ logistics unit explained to me how it works. He was preparing for an exercise that would be moving items by Humvees in the field when we spoke.

“Our section is the one with fighters who deal with all the logistics of the commandos to support fighting during maneuvers in enemy country,” said officer A, whose name cannot be used, for security reasons. This involves moving supplies to the units and also helping evacuate wounded. Some of his soldiers did their regular army service in Maglan, which is one of the special units within the commandos, along with Duvdevan and Egoz.

Generally, Maglan is described as a special reconnaissance unit, whereas Egoz has expertise in counterterrorism operations, and Duvdevan conducts undercover counterterrorism operations. Other reservists in this unit did their regular service in Duvdevan or Egoz.

The officer, who has a large family and spoke with pride about his unit’s role, said: “We deal with maneuver logistics, such as how much can a platoon survive on its own in the field.” What that means is that a platoon of soldiers can’t function by itself for more than 48 hours; they will need more food and water and ammunition. “In order to move the unit forward, you need to have the ammunition and medics.”

Backed by Air Force strikes and artillery, the units at the front can only keep moving if they have the right supplies, including gasoline. “We always need to keep moving that forward, all the time, so they can keep fighting and not stop,” noted the officer.

This is important to understand in a war of initiative against a complex enemy. Hamas was dug in throughout civilian areas in Gaza. It was important to keep it off balance through constant movement and not let Hamas get a chance to regroup and carry out attacks.

‘We believe in what we are doing’

The reservists in this unit come from all walks of life; some are teachers or electricians, others are doctors or academics. There are hi-tech workers and students.

They “left everything for a year, a whole year, and we left that because it’s our country.... We left our homes because, in the end, we believe in what we are doing. Inside the commandos you have many special units. We all came out of Egoz, Maglan, Duvdevan; I came from Maglan. And in the last year, this is what we do. We have been in the field and at home, but 80% in the field.”

The IDF has learned a lot about how to coordinate logistics in time of war and keep elite units performing at the level they need to. Back in 2006, for instance, during the Second Lebanon War, the issue of logistics received a spotlight because of failures in the field. Units went into Lebanon then and didn’t get supplied with food and water in time. Now, using the latest technology, the IDF is bringing soldiers the tools they need. The officer said his soldiers and others in the commandos have not felt anything lacking.

“From the socks to the food, to soft drinks, even to supplying ice cream in the extreme heat. What’s important is that the fighters feel they can keep going forward. We didn’t take our foot off the gas,” the officer said.

The officer, who is a commander now, knows what can go wrong. He fought in Lebanon in 2006. He recalled how soldiers had to scrounge for food in local homes. They took fruit from trees and lived off the land. Soldiers forced to forage for food won’t be as alert to fight the enemy, and they waste time and resources on extraneous activities.

The experience of this part of the commandos has prepared them for any scenario in the future, such as fighting in Lebanon. As I spoke to the commander, some of the men arrived in Humvees. The goal was for the unit to be able to pack Humvees with items from a pallet, for transport into the field. This kind of movement of items could be from a rear area or a collection point, or it could come from an airdrop.

During the Gaza war, the IDF said in December that it conducted its first logistical airdrop. “A logistical airdrop that included parachuting about seven tons of water to hundreds of IDF soldiers currently engaged in combat in Khan Yunis took place over the last few days,” the IDF stated.

“The special supply operation was carried out using the Shimshon aircraft of the 103rd Squadron in a joint operation with the Technology and Logistics Division and the aerial supply unit of the Marom Brigade.”

The 98th Division has the capability to work closely with the Air Force to receive these precision airdrops.

On hold

For the reservists in the commandos, the largest challenge has been the fact that these men have been away from their homes, careers, and lives for most of the last year.

The commander spoke about the difficulty he has seen with soldiers who had to put studies on hold for a year. A soldier studying to be a doctor, for instance, may end up missing two years of schooling as the war continues. If they miss one of the phases of study, it could upset the whole program, postponing the program for another year or two. “I have actually five others studying medicine, and that was a challenge for me and them,” the officer said.

The unit has tried to provide space for the young professionals who were called up to continue to study. For instance, at the base they have a place where they can study and work even away from home. “You don’t see something like that everywhere. That helped the students,” the officer commented.

Another challenge the soldiers had was the fact that many of them have children at home. Being away from home for many months is a challenge. He described a situation in his own family where his youngest child was only a few months old when the war began.

“Each time I came back after time in Gaza, it breaks the heart,” the officer said.

He said his wife is supportive, and she has told him that the IDF must defeat the enemy to such as extent that this will be the “last” war. Even if the war is long, Israel much finish off the enemy. The hardship the soldiers have faced is clear. Some returned home and had trouble returning to their reserve duty. The commander was flexible, giving them an extra few days at home, and in the end they all returned to keep up the fight.

He, too, has suffered in numerous ways. He has lost 16 pounds (7.25 kg.) due to the war. As a fit officer of a commando unit, this wasn’t weight loss that was expendable; this was from the difficulties of war.

“The people come first for me,” said the officer. “You have to deal with people first of all before everything else. It’s about listening to people. The soldiers come first.... It’s also a national mission,” he added. “We have a mission here. This is a war that fell on us... and we went out, and we haven’t finished.”

Complex future

What comes next is complicated.

Hamas is not fully defeated in Gaza. On October 5 at night, the IDF sent the 162nd Division into Jabalya for the third time in the war to clear out Hamas terrorists. The enemy is slowly recruiting and rebuilding its strength.

“We destroyed their capabilities. It’s true we could have done it better... [but we will finish them off] even if it takes months or years. A Hamas member who raises his head will lose his head,” the commander said. He is confident of victory but also cognizant of the challenge. Since the beginning of time, he said, there has always been war. This could be a long war. He was also stark in his conclusions about Gaza and its support of terrorism.

He was clear: The enemy that attacked on Oct. 7 “needs to die.”

Like many soldiers, he also remembered the scenes from Oct. 7. “The things I saw.... It reminds me what I’m doing here.”

He turned to focus on me intently. “When I see you, here is a Jew I have to protect and with God’s blessing… We do what we do, and we do the best work we can. That is why we prepare... we want to be 100% ready for what comes.”

‘No other country would do what we did’

What the training the unit was doing that day in a field in central Israel was part of being ready for what comes next.

One of the soldiers who was taking part in the training described how he came to Israel after Oct. 7 to return to his unit; he was in the US at the time. The soldier said he has spent 270 days out of around 365 with the unit.

“On the one hand, it is a lot of work, and you have a massive responsibility you owe to the country and people and parents. This is a responsibility to protect people who can’t protect themselves, and you do it for them, and there is a massive honor in that role.”

As an Israeli soldier who comes from the US, he said that one of the disappointments he felt during the war was the lack of support from some people in the US whom he saw protesting or condemning Israel. “The most shocking thing is that no matter how efficient you are in trying to protect the lives of the civilians, the international community will condemn us.”

The soldier then left to get on one of the Humvees. The commander pointed to the soldier as an example of the kind of commitment of men who came to devote the last eight months to help defend Israel. Before leaving to rejoin his men, the commander discussed some of the complex operations the unit has conducted. He talked about the bodies of hostages that the unit helped to find and bring out of Shejaia in northern Gaza.

“No other country would do what we did to bring out people like that. I am sure other countries may have many heroes, but it’s unique what we did.”

He also remarked about the extraordinary technology Israel has used in this war. The technology helps logistics flow better to the front. Israel’s drones and other technology also help bring in fire support faster, keeping the forces moving forward and neutralizing threats.

“Soldiers’ lives are saved [through new technology]. We need to increase more of that; it’s a tool. It doesn’t replace soldiers, and it’s not victory unto itself; it’s a way to victory.”

As we walked away from the stand of trees, the commandos had loaded their Humvees with supplies. They were now driving away into a field. In the back of one jeep a soldier crouched, pointing his rifle to the rear, to protect against unseen enemies.

The vehicles lumbered off into the distance until they became small green shapes against the tilled brown soil of a distant field. 