The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have initiated a significant mobilization of reservists as part of an expanded offensive against Hamas in Gaza, seeking to recover hostages and increase military pressure.
Israeli Military Mobilizes Thousands of Reservists for Gaza Offensive
Israeli Military Mobilizes Thousands of Reservists for Gaza Offensive
The intensified operations in Gaza arise amid ongoing tensions and humanitarian crises.
Inspired by weeks of conflict and a humanitarian blockade, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing mounting calls for diplomatic resolutions even as troop deployments intensify.
The article text follows:
The Israeli military has called up tens of thousands of reservists to "intensify and expand" its operations in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that they were "increasing the pressure" with the goal of recovering hostages held in Gaza and defeating Hamas militants. Under the new plan, the military aims to conduct operations in additional areas, reportedly seeking to "destroy all infrastructure" both above and below ground.
Local media reports indicate that the Israeli security cabinet is expected to deliberate on the military expansion on Sunday. Since Israel resumed its offensive on March 18 following the collapse of a two-month ceasefire with Hamas, no Israeli hostages have been freed. Both sides have exchanged blame for the truce's demise.
As the conflict escalates, Israel has captured vast portions of Gaza, causing the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Gazans. Pointing to humanitarian concerns, Israel shut crossings to Gaza on March 2, halting the flow of all goods, including essential supplies like food and medicine, leading to warnings from aid organizations about a looming humanitarian disaster.
International pressure on Israel is intensifying to alleviate its blockade. Humanitarian groups have raised alarms about mass starvation potentially amounting to a war crime. The offensive, as per Israeli officials, aims to secure the release of the remaining 59 hostages held by Hamas, of which 24 are thought to be alive.
The military briefed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a staged operation plan for Gaza on Friday, amid increasing opposition from reservists demanding a halt to military actions and a focus on negotiations for hostages' release.
Protests erupted across Israel over the weekend, underscoring public sentiment against continual conflict, with heartbreaking calls from families of hostages questioning the need for war. On Sunday, the IDF reported the deaths of two more Israeli soldiers in Gaza; meanwhile, the Hamas-run health ministry stated that 40 individuals died and 125 were injured in the past 24 hours.
This renewed offensive follows an unprecedented cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which saw approximately 1,200 people killed and 251 taken hostage. According to reports from Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, the ongoing war has claimed at least 52,535 lives, with 2,436 of those casualties occurring since March 18 when Israel resumed its military operations. Additionally, a missile launched from Yemen struck near Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, complicating the already tense situation. The dire humanitarian crisis is compounded as a UN agency reported depleting food aid supplies in Gaza due to the ongoing blockade.
The article text follows:
The Israeli military has called up tens of thousands of reservists to "intensify and expand" its operations in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that they were "increasing the pressure" with the goal of recovering hostages held in Gaza and defeating Hamas militants. Under the new plan, the military aims to conduct operations in additional areas, reportedly seeking to "destroy all infrastructure" both above and below ground.
Local media reports indicate that the Israeli security cabinet is expected to deliberate on the military expansion on Sunday. Since Israel resumed its offensive on March 18 following the collapse of a two-month ceasefire with Hamas, no Israeli hostages have been freed. Both sides have exchanged blame for the truce's demise.
As the conflict escalates, Israel has captured vast portions of Gaza, causing the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Gazans. Pointing to humanitarian concerns, Israel shut crossings to Gaza on March 2, halting the flow of all goods, including essential supplies like food and medicine, leading to warnings from aid organizations about a looming humanitarian disaster.
International pressure on Israel is intensifying to alleviate its blockade. Humanitarian groups have raised alarms about mass starvation potentially amounting to a war crime. The offensive, as per Israeli officials, aims to secure the release of the remaining 59 hostages held by Hamas, of which 24 are thought to be alive.
The military briefed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a staged operation plan for Gaza on Friday, amid increasing opposition from reservists demanding a halt to military actions and a focus on negotiations for hostages' release.
Protests erupted across Israel over the weekend, underscoring public sentiment against continual conflict, with heartbreaking calls from families of hostages questioning the need for war. On Sunday, the IDF reported the deaths of two more Israeli soldiers in Gaza; meanwhile, the Hamas-run health ministry stated that 40 individuals died and 125 were injured in the past 24 hours.
This renewed offensive follows an unprecedented cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which saw approximately 1,200 people killed and 251 taken hostage. According to reports from Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, the ongoing war has claimed at least 52,535 lives, with 2,436 of those casualties occurring since March 18 when Israel resumed its military operations. Additionally, a missile launched from Yemen struck near Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, complicating the already tense situation. The dire humanitarian crisis is compounded as a UN agency reported depleting food aid supplies in Gaza due to the ongoing blockade.
