War review: Israel grapples with costs and casualties as Cabinet approves Cairo talks

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

The Israeli War Cabinet's decision to engage in Cairo negotiations came when Israel was entirely preoccupied with summarizing six months of the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation amidst data and facts indicating significant failures in this war and a loss of public trust in its leaders.

However, 62% of Israelis are dissatisfied with the outcomes of the war, compared to 29% satisfied, with 9% undecided.

This situation prompted security and political figures to demand swift, new steps to address the war.

Revelations sparked intense Israeli anger amidst an economic crisis and increasing unemployment:

-       Fighting in the Strip costs one million dollars weekly, with estimates suggesting that continuing the war for months with expanded combat could raise the cost of war to over $50 billion.

-       The use of air power contributes to the escalating expenses, with each hour of Apache helicopter flight costing $4,000, compared to $30,000 for an F-35 aircraft.

-       The cost of missile defense systems is also significant, with each Iron Dome missile costing $50,000. In contrast, the Hetz system's interception of three missiles targeting Houthi missiles cost one million dollars.

-       Since the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation confrontations until today, Israel has been targeted with 9,100 rockets from Gaza, 3,100 rockets from Lebanon, and 30 rockets from Syria, during which defensive systems were deployed.

-       In terms of economic cost, Israeli drones targeted around 32,000 objectives in Gaza and approximately 3,300 objectives in Lebanon.

In terms of casualties, according to the army, 604 soldiers have been killed to date.

However, a review of the number of those enlisted in the war indicates approximately 350,000, including groups whose injuries were not included in these figures.

Israeli families are pursuing legal battles with the army, refusing to acknowledge the deaths of their sons in fighting.

Additionally, there are dozens of soldiers from Arab towns within Israel who serve in the army, not accounted for in the statistics. They were buried quietly with the presence of very few of their family members.

The number of wounded soldiers has reached around 4,000, including hundreds with permanent physical disabilities, including loss of sight.

As for soldiers requiring psychological treatment, they exceed 12,000.

These data and statistics do not encompass all civilian society's economic, health, and psychological aspects. Experts say that when all information emerges, its results will be more dangerous than any expectation for the longest war in Israeli history since its establishment.