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Israeli military to call up reserve forces to expand Gaza operations: Report
The Israeli military is preparing for a large-scale mobilisation of reserve troops in order to expand its ground operations in Gaza amid a growing crisis in troop numbers and escalating public tensions over the fate of Israeli captives held in Gaza, according to Israeli media.
Prime Minister Netanyahu is expected to hold security consultations later today with senior ministers and military officials on the matter, according to the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth.
“In recent days, several reserve officers have alerted their units to prepare for a sudden call-up,” the newspaper said.
Tensions escalated further on Thursday when Netanyahu declared that Israeli military objectives were a higher priority than rescuing captives.
Hamas has offered a proposal to exchange all Israeli captives for a full ceasefire, complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, a proposal rejected by Netanyahu and his government.
In recent days, the Israeli army issued a statement indicating that reserve deployments would be carried out “with care and responsibility, based on objective and professional considerations”.
By approving plans to expand operations in Gaza, Israel is ‘upping the ante’
Ori Goldberg, an Israeli political commentator, says Israel’s plans to expand its ground operations in Gaza will sabotage hopes of a ceasefire, but added that the approval of these plans was “less realistic than it might appear”.
“The only path forward for Israel is full occupation. That is something right-winged politicians here have been toying with,” he told Al Jazeera.
“But it is something that brings real political dissent and opposition, even from those who supported Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza.”
There is still “a lot of mistrust” between the people in Israel and the government, he said, despite the fact that many support the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
“There is a sense that this government is being motivated by considerations that don’t have anything to do with security, which is what has been driving the Israeli campaign [in Gaza],” Goldberg said. “I think by approving this, Israel is … upping the ante.”
