Israel has begun mobilizing about 60,000 reservists to take part in a planned occupation of Gaza City, the military confirmed on Tuesday, signaling a major escalation in the now 23-month-old war.
The army said the reservists would receive weapons, personal equipment and full tactical gear, and the units would undergo urban and open-field combat exercises “to increase readiness for upcoming missions.”
The Israeli daily Maariv reported that the mobilization would likely include four days of training for the reservists before some would be moved to replace regular troops stationed on the northern front.
The move comes after Gaza was declared a “dangerous combat zone” on Friday, followed by heavy bombardment and demolitions that have already caused mass civilian casualties and widespread destruction.
The Gaza government’s media office accused the army of deploying explosive-laden robots and adopting a “scorched earth” strategy.
The mobilization is part of a phased reoccupation plan approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government on August 8. According to Israeli public broadcaster KAN, the strategy calls for forcing residents south, encircling Gaza City, and then launching incursions deeper into residential areas.
The Israeli military has killed more than 63,500 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.
In November last year, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant, charging them with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide charge at the International Court of Justice over the war in the enclave.
