Katz with the military echelonAriel Hermoni/Defense Ministry
IDF to mobilize 60,000 reservists for Gaza City operation
The action plan presented to the Defense Minister includes mobilizing 60,000 new reservists, in addition to the 20,000 already in service.
The defense establishment is intensifying preparations for the next stage of the ground maneuver to conquer Gaza City, in accordance with the Cabinet’s directives.
On Tuesday evening, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir presented Defense Minister Israel Katz with a detailed operational plan, which includes the mobilization of up to 60,000 additional reservists – on top of the 20,000 already called up.
Initial mobilization orders are expected to be issued starting Wednesday. However, the IDF emphasized that these are not immediate call-ups. Reservists will be given approximately two weeks to prepare, allowing for an orderly deployment and gradual integration into operational frameworks.
“The goal is to integrate the forces in a coordinated manner to ensure long-term operational stability,” a military source explained.
Tuesday evening’s security meeting included Defense Minister Katz, the Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai, the head of the Operations Directorate, the head of Military Intelligence, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, the head of the Operations Branch, representatives from the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), and other senior officials.
Further discussions on the plan to take control of the Gaza Strip were held Monday night at the Southern Command. Under the current plan, regular forces will surround Gaza City along several dividing axes, following the evacuation of approximately one million Palestinian Arabs to the southern part of the Strip.
Defense officials stress that the objective remains the full evacuation of northern Gaza. However, they acknowledge the complexity of the task: during the height of last year’s maneuver, an estimated 250,000 Palestinian Arabs remained in Gaza City and surrounding areas despite evacuation efforts.
