TEL AVIV, ISRAEL – The Israeli military has announced a call-up of approximately 60,000 reservists as it prepares for a planned ground offensive to capture and occupy all of Gaza City. A military official stated that most of the troops for the offensive would be active-duty personnel, with reservists reporting for duty in September. The plan, approved by Defence Minister Israel Katz, is expected to be presented to the security cabinet later this week.
The move comes as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza City are expected to be ordered to evacuate to shelters in southern Gaza. The plan has been widely condemned by Israel’s allies, with French President Emmanuel Macron warning it could “lead to disaster” and “risk plunging the entire region into a cycle of permanent war.” The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has also expressed concern that a further intensification of hostilities would worsen an “already catastrophic situation.”
The call-up, which also extends the orders of 20,000 reservists already mobilized, follows a breakdown in ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas. While mediators from Qatar and Egypt have presented a new proposal for a 60-day truce and the release of some hostages, Israeli officials have stated they will no longer accept a partial deal. The military’s stated objectives are to secure the release of all hostages and “complete the defeat” of Hamas.
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