Illustrative image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced on May 3 that it was sending out tens of thousands of call-up orders to reservists in preparations to significantly expand its offensive against the Hamas Movement in the Gaza Strip.
During a security consultation a day earlier, the military presented Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with its planned offensive in Gaza, which will require substantial mobilization.
Israel’s security cabinet is slated to convene tomorrow so ministers can vote to approve the military plans, which had been already authorized by Netanyahu.
The IDF renewed its offensive in Gaza on March 18 with the aim of pressuring Hamas back into a hostage deal, and not destroying the group. Only three divisions have been operating in the Strip since then. Still, the military managed to occupy around 30% of Gaza without facing much resistance. More than 2,300 Palestinians have been reportedly killed.
Israeli officials warned on several occasions recently that if no hostage deal is reached soon, the military would launch a major offensive aimed at defeating Hamas. The group continues to hold 59 hostages in Gaza, including 24 who are thought to be still alive.
An intensified offensive will see the IDF operating in new areas of the Strip, possibly dividing it into multiple small pockets.
The tens of thousands of reservists being called up will begin to show up in the military in coming days, according to the IDF.
Ahead of the IDF’s announcement, Netanyahu’s office announced that the primer had decided to postpone his visit to Azerbaijan, scheduled to take place from May 7 to May 11, due to developments in the region.
“In light of developments in the Gaza Strip and Syria, and due to a tight political and security schedule, Prime Minister Netanyahu has decided to postpone his visit to Azerbaijan to a later date,” the Prime Minister Office said in a statement. “The prime minister thanks President [Ilham] Aliyev for his invitation, and appreciates the warm relations between the two countries.”
The military’s call-ups also came amid reports of a deadly attack on Israeli troops in the area of Rafah in southern Gaza.
It’s worth noting that only two soldiers and a police officer have been killed since the start of the ongoing limited offensive in the Strip.
Hamas has shown willingness to reach a new ceasefire-hostage agreement in recent days. It even proposed a draft that includes the release of all remaining hostages in a single phase. Despite this, Israel appears to be determined to escalate on the hopes of securing a complete military victory.
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