Israel Mobilizes Reservists as It Pushes into Initial Stages of Gaza City Offensive
Tens of thousands of reservists report for duty ahead of a new Israeli offensive in Gaza City, despite warnings from senior ranks.
DEIR AL BALAH: Tens of thousands of reservists started to report for duty on Tuesday ahead of a new Israeli offense in Gaza City.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to speed up the operation, despite warnings from senior military ranks.According to Israeli Army Radio, approximately 40,000 reservists were expected to report for duty on Tuesday for the Gaza City campaign.
The military had also made logistical preparations to accommodate these reservists.The Israeli security cabinet, chaired by Netanyahu, approved a plan last month to expand the campaign in Gaza with the goal of taking over Gaza City.
This move is part of Israel's strategy to combat Hamas fighters and seize control of the areas currently held by Hamas.
Currently, Israel holds around 75% of the Gaza Strip.A security cabinet meeting held on Sunday night saw heated debates between Netanyahu and his ministers, who advocated for accelerating the Gaza City campaign, and military chief Eyal Zamir, who urged politicians to seek a ceasefire agreement.
Zamir expressed concerns that the ongoing campaign could put additional pressure on the already strained army resources and pose a risk to hostages in Gaza.This recent exchange between Zamir and Netanyahu's cabinet mirrors similar debates from last month, where Zamir had raised concerns about the timetable for launching the campaign.
On August 20, Netanyahu instructed military officials to expedite the plan for taking control of what he described as Hamas' last stronghold.
However, on August 21, during discussions to approve the battle plans, the military once again expressed concerns that the campaign could jeopardize the safety of hostages and stated that it would not be feasible to begin the operation immediately due to ongoing humanitarian efforts.Surveys indicate that a significant portion of reservists are unhappy with the government's plan for Gaza.
Some have even publicly accused the government of lacking a clear strategy or post-war plan for the region.Meanwhile, Israeli strikes in Gaza resulted in the deaths of at least 86 people and injured numerous others over the past 24 hours.
Three separate airstrikes targeted residential areas in the suburbs of Gaza City, resulting in the loss of 26 lives.
Outside Al-Shifa hospital, bodies were laid out on the street amidst scenes of mourning and grief.The Israeli military's Arabic service spokesperson assured residents that better humanitarian services would be available in the south as the army prepared to expand its operations in Gaza City.
The military stated that it is engaged in combat with fighters on the outskirts of Gaza City, destroying tunnels, militant infrastructure, and seizing weapons.In addition to the casualties caused by Israeli strikes, at least 13 more Palestinians, including three children, died of malnutrition and starvation in the past 24 hours, bringing the total reported deaths from such causes to at least 361, with 130 children being the majority of victims over recent weeks.
Israel disputes these figures, attributing the deaths to other medical conditions.The conflict in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israeli communities near the border, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, mainly civilians.
Since then, according to health officials in Gaza, over 62,000 Palestinians have been killed during Israel's air and ground war in Gaza.
The majority of those killed are believed to be women and children.Efforts to establish a ceasefire and pause the fighting ended in deadlock last month.
Israeli authorities estimate that there are 48 remaining hostages, with 20 still being alive.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to speed up the operation, despite warnings from senior military ranks.According to Israeli Army Radio, approximately 40,000 reservists were expected to report for duty on Tuesday for the Gaza City campaign.
The military had also made logistical preparations to accommodate these reservists.The Israeli security cabinet, chaired by Netanyahu, approved a plan last month to expand the campaign in Gaza with the goal of taking over Gaza City.
This move is part of Israel's strategy to combat Hamas fighters and seize control of the areas currently held by Hamas.
Currently, Israel holds around 75% of the Gaza Strip.A security cabinet meeting held on Sunday night saw heated debates between Netanyahu and his ministers, who advocated for accelerating the Gaza City campaign, and military chief Eyal Zamir, who urged politicians to seek a ceasefire agreement.
Zamir expressed concerns that the ongoing campaign could put additional pressure on the already strained army resources and pose a risk to hostages in Gaza.This recent exchange between Zamir and Netanyahu's cabinet mirrors similar debates from last month, where Zamir had raised concerns about the timetable for launching the campaign.
On August 20, Netanyahu instructed military officials to expedite the plan for taking control of what he described as Hamas' last stronghold.
However, on August 21, during discussions to approve the battle plans, the military once again expressed concerns that the campaign could jeopardize the safety of hostages and stated that it would not be feasible to begin the operation immediately due to ongoing humanitarian efforts.Surveys indicate that a significant portion of reservists are unhappy with the government's plan for Gaza.
Some have even publicly accused the government of lacking a clear strategy or post-war plan for the region.Meanwhile, Israeli strikes in Gaza resulted in the deaths of at least 86 people and injured numerous others over the past 24 hours.
Three separate airstrikes targeted residential areas in the suburbs of Gaza City, resulting in the loss of 26 lives.
Outside Al-Shifa hospital, bodies were laid out on the street amidst scenes of mourning and grief.The Israeli military's Arabic service spokesperson assured residents that better humanitarian services would be available in the south as the army prepared to expand its operations in Gaza City.
The military stated that it is engaged in combat with fighters on the outskirts of Gaza City, destroying tunnels, militant infrastructure, and seizing weapons.In addition to the casualties caused by Israeli strikes, at least 13 more Palestinians, including three children, died of malnutrition and starvation in the past 24 hours, bringing the total reported deaths from such causes to at least 361, with 130 children being the majority of victims over recent weeks.
Israel disputes these figures, attributing the deaths to other medical conditions.The conflict in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israeli communities near the border, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, mainly civilians.
Since then, according to health officials in Gaza, over 62,000 Palestinians have been killed during Israel's air and ground war in Gaza.
The majority of those killed are believed to be women and children.Efforts to establish a ceasefire and pause the fighting ended in deadlock last month.
Israeli authorities estimate that there are 48 remaining hostages, with 20 still being alive.
