Israeli forces call up 60,000 reservists to expand war on Gaza
2 Min Read
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from families of Israeli captives held in Gaza, who warned that escalating the military campaign would only endanger the lives of captives.
-
A Syrian soldier stands at the gate of a military base on the outskirts of Harasta, near Damascus, Syria, Saturday, May 3, 2025 (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
Israeli forces on Saturday night began issuing tens of thousands of reserve call-up orders, according to Israeli media, which reported that the move is intended to "expand the operation in the Gaza Strip."
Channel 14 reported that approximately 60,000 reservists are expected to report to their units starting midweek, just days from now.
Many of them, the report noted, will be deployed to the Lebanese border, Syria, or the occupied West Bank, in order to free up regular combat units for redeployment to Gaza.
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from families of Israeli captives held in Gaza, who warned that escalating the military campaign would only endanger the lives of captives.
"This will only lead to more of our sons being killed," the families said in a statement issued earlier on Sunday.
They accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of sacrificing the captives for military objectives. "Netanyahu is sending more soldiers into Gaza to kill the captives instead of rescuing them," the statement read.
The families also appealed directly to Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, urging him to halt any new operations in Gaza, warning that such actions would almost certainly lead to the captives' deaths.
Escalation Campaign
This mobilization comes amid a sharp spike in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank.
According to reports, more than 40 Palestinians were killed in the last 24 hours alone, with heavy bombardments reported in Bureij, Beit Lahiya, and Khan Younis refugee camps.
Entire families have been buried under the rubble as rescue efforts continue to falter due to the collapse of humanitarian infrastructure.
Aid agencies are now warning of imminent famine and a near-total breakdown of relief operations, with Gaza’s civilian population bearing the brunt of what many observers call collective punishment.
Read more: Gaza's dire crisis: No food, critical medicine shortage
The IOF's intensification of military force signals a clear intent by the occupation to widen the war on Gaza, regardless of diplomatic impasses or the human toll.
