With the ongoing Israel-Hamas war stretching into its sixth month, soldiers on the ground are still facing shortages of basic supplies. This has led to an unprecedented reliance on charitable donations to provide essential gear like helmets, boots, and knee pads.
The Israeli military maintains that it provides for all the needs of its soldiers, but countless soldiers have taken to the internet and social media to ask for donations. This has raised questions about the military’s preparedness and its ability to respond to the pressing needs of its troops.
According to Micha Shtiebel, an Israeli reserve soldier who was called up for duty on October 7th, the situation is dire. “I looked at my own bag and the only item in my bag out of around 25 items that is not mine is the bag itself,” he said. “Everything is either self-funded or funded through this network of NGOs.”
Shtiebel is not alone. Many other soldiers have reported shortages of essential equipment, including bulletproof vests, helmets, night vision goggles, and rifle scopes. This has forced them to rely on aid groups like Boots for Israel and Unit 11741, which have been providing donated supplies to soldiers.
The demand for these supplies far outstrips the supply, and it is estimated that groups like Boots for Israel have given away over 46,000 pairs of tactical boots to soldiers. Unit 11741 has delivered some 11,000 tactical helmets.
The shortages have been especially dire outside of elite units, which have presumably been prioritized by the military. Reservists, who are often older and have higher standards or needs, have also faced significant challenges.
“We are not boys of 21 or 22 who can deal with all types of terrain with no problems,” said Aaron Moshe Shalman, a reserve soldier who was recalled for duty last month. “A lot of people in the unit are in their 30s and 40s and some even in their 50s, leaving their daily lives in order to help the country and have back problems or other health issues.”
The shortages have also extended to camping gear, flashlights, and other essential items. Civilian volunteers have stepped in to help obtain these items as well.
As the months have gone on, one might expect the volunteer logistical efforts to recede as military professionals take over. However, this has not happened. Dotan Sofer, a tech executive and political activist, started an aid group when the war broke out and has since organized nearly 90 other groups into what he calls “Forum Hachamalim.”
The forum helps member groups coordinate and advocate collectively around government decisions affecting their work. Sofer estimates that groups like his, with the help of donations mostly from abroad, have delivered perhaps more than $1 billion worth of equipment to soldiers over the past six months.
This volume of philanthropy constitutes a grassroots effort in the same league as the estimated $1.4 billion raised since October 7th through established charities such as Jewish federations and Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.
The scale of charitable donations going to support military supplies for individual units is astounding, said Benjamin Soskis, a historian of philanthropy and a senior research associate at the Urban Institute’s Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy. He notes that private charity for soldiers in the field was common in the US Civil War and continued even through World War II, but such efforts were eventually eclipsed as the field of charity became more professional and centralized.
Soskis suggests that the return of “grassroots humanitarians” and “DIY aid” is a function of technology, which has been transforming philanthropy in general. The emergence of online crowdsourcing platforms and rapid global peer-to-peer communication have created new modes of aid outside major charitable institutions.
Explanations vary for why, six months into a war, the Israeli military is not adequately supplying its own troops. Some attribute it to a culture of scrappiness within the military, while others suggest that the military is reluctant to admit its shortcomings.
Whatever the reason, the situation is unsustainable. Lisa Geller, who divides her time between the US and Israel, emphasizes that even the most well-meaning charitable efforts cannot replace the government’s responsibility to provide for its soldiers.
“We tried hard, we were giving of our own time our own money, putting our jobs on hold, doing everything we possibly could,” Geller said. “And at the end of the day, the most well-meaning people in the world cannot replace an entire government.”
The ongoing reliance on charitable donations to supply Israeli soldiers highlights the need for the military to address its shortcomings and ensure that its troops are adequately equipped. It also raises questions about the role of civil society in supporting the military during times of conflict.
