In a new turn in the protracted Middle East conflict, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began issuing tens of thousands of call-up orders to reservists over the weekend, as part of an expanded offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The region, ravaged by more than six months of war, is already facing a staggering toll of casualties and displaced people.
“Thousands of soldiers will join the service this coming week, many of whom have already been called up several times since October,” Israeli military sources said in an official statement on Sunday.
The move came as no surprise. Two days earlier, during a security briefing, top army officials presented Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the details of a more aggressive operation in Gaza. After receiving his approval, the security cabinet gave formal backing to the plan.
Currently, three IDF divisions are operating inside the Palestinian enclave. The immediate objective, according to military spokespeople, is to intensify pressure on Hamas to force a hostage deal. “Our goal is not to destroy Hamas, but to negotiate from a position of strength,” said a senior military official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The mass mobilization is not only aimed at reinforcing the southern front. Many reservists will be deployed to other hotspots, including Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank, replacing active-duty soldiers who will be redirected to Gaza.
The strategy reflects both operational needs and growing domestic pressure. In recent weeks, public letters signed by army veterans and families of hostages have called for an urgent agreement to free the captives — even if it means halting the war. The IDF, however, maintains that the call-up is based on “practical considerations,” unrelated to social or political pressure.
According to Israeli military estimates, Hamas still maintains operational structures in key areas of Gaza. In Rafah and the northern part of the enclave, fighters operate as decentralized guerrilla cells, working to protect senior leaders and recruit teenagers to bolster their ranks. Israeli authorities fear that without a decisive offensive, the group could regroup and prolong the conflict.
Since the war began on October 7, 2023, more than 52,400 Palestinians have died, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health. These figures, which do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, have not been independently verified. Israel claims to have killed around 21,600 militants, including those involved in the initial attack.
On that day, over 1,000 Hamas fighters crossed the border from Gaza, killing about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking 251 hostages. Today, 59 hostages remain in Hamas custody, including the body of a soldier killed in 2014.
The human toll is also being felt in Israel: since the start of the ground offensive, 414 Israeli service members have died, including two police officers and two contractors from the Ministry of Defense.
