JERUSALEM — Israel’s military is gearing up for a major offensive in Gaza City, with plans to mobilize 50,000 reservists in preparation for the operation, an Israeli military official announced on Tuesday, August 19, 2024. While reservists will bolster the effort, most forces deployed in Gaza’s largest urban center will be active-duty soldiers, according to Reuters. The call-up notices, set to be issued in the coming days, will see reservists reporting for duty in September, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
The official, speaking anonymously due to military protocol, noted that the operation targets areas of Gaza City where Hamas remains active, including the Zeitoun and Jabaliya neighborhoods, per NPR. Israel’s security cabinet approved the plan on August 7, aiming to disarm Hamas, secure the release of 59 remaining hostages 24 believed to be alive and demilitarize the Gaza Strip, according to The New York Times. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized a shift from raid-based tactics to sustained territorial control, a move that has drawn sharp international criticism.
The offensive follows the collapse of a ceasefire in March 2024, after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. Since then, Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 52,000 Palestinian deaths, mostly civilians, fueling global outrage. Critics, including the UN’s Volker Turk, warn that the plan risks “unbearable suffering” and violates international law, per ABC News. Posts on X, like those from @AJEnglish. highlight Palestinian fears of forced displacement to central Gaza camps.
Key elements of the plan include:
- Military Scope: Active-duty soldiers will lead, with reservists in support roles like air force and intelligence.
- Hostage Focus: Pressure on Hamas to release captives, though families fear escalation endangers them.
- Humanitarian Concerns: UN reports famine risks amid restricted aid, with only 140 aid trucks entering daily.
Despite internal dissent, with thousands of reservists refusing call-ups, per France24, Israel presses forward, balancing military goals with growing domestic and global pressure.
Source: Reuters
