Israeli reservists reported for duty Tuesday as the army
expanded its ranks in preparation for a major offensive to capture Gaza City
after two years of war.
Israel has recently been speeding up operations as it prepares to take control of the major metropolitan center in the Palestinian territories, despite growing criticism from both domestic and international sources to halt its campaign.
At least 85 Palestinians were murdered by Israeli forces on Tuesday throughout the Strip, which has been experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis for months, according to Gaza's civil defense service.
A group of reservists who name themselves "Soldiers for the Hostages" and refuse to serve in the military organized a public gathering in Tel Aviv on Tuesday to encourage active-duty soldiers and other reservists to abstain from reporting for duty.
One of the 400 participants, Max Kresch, said that it was his "patriotic duty to refuse to take part" because he was a veteran who had already served in the military.
He said that it was a "betrayal" of the Israeli people and the prisoners if the fighting went on rather than reaching an agreement to release the hostages taken by Hamas.
According to Israeli media, the initial round of reservist mobilization involved about 40,000 men.
Nearly a million people, according to UN estimates, reside in and around Gaza City, where famine has been declared.
Reservists reporting for duty on Tuesday were informed by Army Chief Eyal Zamir that their deployment was intended to "enhance the strikes of our operation."
In recent days, the military has been conducting operations on the edges of Gaza City and has increased the intensity of its bombing.
"We are already entering places we have never entered before,"
Zamir said.
In his own message to the troops, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu credited them with advancing "Israel towards a sweeping victory", adding they were now at "the decisive stage".
Weary Palestinians in Gaza City told AFP they felt helpless and desperate ahead of the looming offensive.
"There is no place for us to go, and no means to get there. We are exhausted physically and mentally from displacement and from the war,"
60-year-old Amal Abdel-Aal, who lives in a tent in the city's west, told AFP by telephone.
In a post on X on Tuesday, a military spokesman warned Gazans of the upcoming "expansion of combat operations towards Gaza City".
"We wish to remind you that in Al-Mawasi enhanced services will be provided, with an emphasis on access to medical care, water and food," Avichay Adraee said, referring to an area in the south that Israel has designated a humanitarian zone but which has been hit by repeated strikes.
How many reservists have reported during the first call-up wave?
This initial wave is part of a broader mobilization plan
that could see about 60,000 reservists called up in total. The reservists
reported to training and induction bases as the military prepares for ground
operations.
Despite the large number called, reports indicate turnout was lower than in previous call-ups, affected by war fatigue, family and financial concerns, and some opposition within the ranks. Reservists will undergo training and preparation over the coming days before deployment.
The military expects to rotate reservists with regular forces during the extended operation planned to last into 2026.