Thousands of reservists have begun reporting for duty as the Israeli military presses ahead with its offensive to conquer Gaza City.
Ground forces are already pushing into the outskirts of Gaza's largest urban area, which the military has said is a stronghold of Hamas. The city is also coming under heavy Israeli aerial and artillery bombardment, with local hospitals stating that more than 50 Palestinians have been killed since midnight.
The military has ordered residents to evacuate south immediately. According to the UN, an estimated 20,000 have done so over the past two weeks, but almost a million remain stranded.
UN humanitarian officials have warned that the impact of a full-blown offensive would be beyond catastrophic, not only for those in the city but for the entire Gaza Strip.
Last month, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that around 60,000 reservists would be mobilized for Operation Gideon's Chariots II, a continuation of their offensive launched in May, which already resulted in the military taking control of at least 75% of Gaza.
On Tuesday, an Israeli military official confirmed that thousands had started reporting for duty. Many reservists are expected to be deployed to the occupied West Bank and northern Israel to free active-duty personnel for the Gaza operation. However, reports indicated some combat units are seeing lower turnout than in previous call-ups, with reservists requesting exemptions for personal or financial reasons.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel intended to conquer all of Gaza after indirect talks with Hamas over a ceasefire and hostage release deal collapsed in July. At a recent government meeting, he stated that the security cabinet had agreed on the IDF's objectives: defeating Hamas and releasing all of our hostages. Currently, Hamas is believed to be holding 48 hostages, 20 of whom are reported alive.
The families of hostages are expressing fears that the new offensive will endanger their loved ones and are urging the Prime Minister to negotiate an agreement that would secure their release.
Reports indicate angry exchanges between military officials and ministers regarding the Gaza strategy, with the IDF's Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, warning that the military plan could put hostages at greater risk.
In an address to reservists, Zamir declared the IDF's intent for a decisive victory, emphasizing the need to increase and enhance military operations until Hamas is defeated.
On the ground in Gaza, officials from Al-Shifa hospital reported at least 95 Palestinians killed due to Israeli strikes since midnight, with civilian casualties predominantly involving children and the elderly.
The humanitarian crisis continues to escalate, with UN officials noting increasing malnutrition rates and food shortages amid ongoing violence. Gaza's health ministry has reported considerable fatalities due to malnutrition, affirming earlier claims of a looming famine.
This campaign by the IDF stems from a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which claimed approximately 1,200 lives and ushered in the current state of conflict, with total casualties in Gaza climbing to over 63,000.
