Israeli media report plans to mobilize up to 100,000 reservists for a Gaza City occupation, with operations potentially extending into 2026.

The Israeli military plans to call up between 80,000 and 100,000 reservists for a potential operation to occupy Gaza City, Israeli media reported on Thursday.

According to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, further discussions are expected in the coming days on the nature of the planned occupation, including strategies for maneuvering within the city, targeting high-rise buildings in the west, and confronting resistance forces prepared by the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas.

The report stated that the military campaign could continue until 2026 in Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip, where Hamas cells are allegedly operating.

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In protest against the dangers the reoccupation poses to the lives of Israeli prisoners, families of detainees and fallen soldiers are planning a nationwide strike on August 17. The action is expected to disrupt daily life, with participation from companies and universities.

Plan Approval

On Wednesday, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir reportedly approved the main concept of the plan to reoccupy the entire Gaza Strip, including an assault on the Zaytoun neighborhood south of Gaza City, which began on Tuesday.

Zamir emphasized the “importance of increasing the readiness and willingness of the forces to recruit reservists,” noting that the draft remains a contentious political issue as tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews (Haredim) refuse to serve.

His approval followed earlier remarks in which he had expressed reservations about occupying Gaza City, stressing the need to allow troops rest periods to maintain combat capability.

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The Israeli government has not announced a specific start date for the operation, though bombardment of the city has intensified over the past two days, causing dozens of deaths and injuries.

On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Israel was close to ending the battle, saying forces would advance “relatively quickly” to seize control of Gaza City, which he described as Hamas’ last stronghold.

Israel occupied the Gaza Strip from 1967 to 2005, a period of 38 years. The territory, home to approximately 2.2 million Palestinians, has been under an Israeli blockade for the past 18 years.

The plan to reoccupy Gaza has drawn criticism from governments and civil society worldwide, with warnings of a sharp rise in Palestinian casualties amid what has been described as Israel’s ongoing war of extermination and systematic destruction in the Strip.

(PC, AJA)