Israel Mobilizes 60,000 Reservists for Expanded Gaza City Assault
Israel has launched a new push to take Gaza City, calling up 60,000 reservists as part of a plan to dismantle Hamas after nearly two years of war.
Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Wednesday that troops had begun ground operations in the Zaytun neighborhood and Jabalia and were holding the outskirts of Gaza City. He called Hamas a “battered and bruised guerrilla force” but pledged that the army would “deepen the damage” to its infrastructure above and below ground.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the army to accelerate its timeline for taking control of Hamas strongholds. Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed Gaza “will be transformed and will never look the same again” once the offensive is complete.
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The Israeli army said it has gained “operational control” over 75% of the Gaza Strip, but the new phase of the campaign is drawing widespread criticism over its impact on civilians. Israeli air and ground assaults killed at least 58 people and wounded 185 in the past 24 hours, according to Gaza health officials. They said more than 62,000 people have been killed since the conflict erupted in 2023, including 266 who died of hunger, among them 112 children.
The call-up of 60,000 reservists, with another 20,000 to follow, is the largest mobilization since the early stages of the war. At its peak, officials say 12 brigades will operate inside Gaza City. Civilians are being instructed to move south through “humanitarian corridors,” with Israel planning new aid centers and field hospitals to accommodate the displaced.
Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for attacks near Khan Yunis on Wednesday, saying its fighters targeted Israeli troops with anti-tank missiles and close-range gunfire. The group described one attack in which a fighter detonated explosives among Israeli soldiers.
Israel’s Security Cabinet is expected to meet in the coming days to finalize approval of the Gaza City campaign. Despite mounting international criticism, Netanyahu has framed the offensive as essential to Israel’s goal of destroying Hamas and ending its control over the enclave.
