Israel calls up tens of thousands of reserve forces to expand Gaza war
The Israeli regime has ordered tens of thousands of its reserve forces to be drafted to intensify and expand the genocidal war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The new head of the Israeli army said on Sunday that the new forces would be used to expand the war on Gaza and tighten the grip on the ruling Hamas resistance movement in the Palestinian territory.
“This week, we are sending tens of thousands of draft orders to our reserve personnel to intensify and expand our action in Gaza. We are increasing the pressure to return our people [held captive in Gaza] and defeat Hamas,” Maj. Gen. (res.) Eyal Zamir said.
He added that the Israeli military would “operate in additional areas and destroy all of the infrastructure above and below ground.”
Zamir, who had held key command positions before replacing Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi as the new army chief after he stepped down last month, has made strategic reassessments of the war on Gaza, outlining plans for expanding units of the Israeli forces amid heightened tensions in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
The order to summon the reservists came ahead of a cabinet meeting to be chaired by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to review strategies and discuss an expansion of the war on Gaza.
In the cabinet meeting, the Israeli leadership will also discuss the possible resumption of international humanitarian aid to Gaza, as groups mount pressure on Tel Aviv, warning of starvation in the territory since the Israeli forces imposed a total blockade on food supplies, medicine, and fuel.
Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned that the international aid and relief operations in Gaza are on the verge of “total collapse,” since Israel resumed the war and imposed the blockade in March.
