Israel Plans to Call Up 80,000–100,000 Reservists for Potential Gaza Occupation

Kokcha News Agency – The Israeli army is planning to call up between 80,000 and 100,000 reservists to participate in a potential operation to occupy Gaza, Hebrew media reported on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir approved the “central idea” of a plan to fully reoccupy the Gaza Strip, including an attack on the Zeitoun area south of Gaza City, which began on Tuesday.

The Hebrew newspaper *Yedioth Ahronoth* stated on Thursday: “According to a preliminary framework set by the Chief of Staff, and following the approval of the central idea for occupying Gaza, between 80,000 and 100,000 call-up orders will be issued for participation in the operation.”

The report added that “additional discussions will be held in the coming days, addressing the agenda, including the nature of the operation, maneuvering methods in the city and high-rise buildings in its west, and against resistance teams prepared by Hamas.”

Israel previously occupied Gaza for 38 years between 1967 and 2005. Currently, around 2.4 million Palestinians live in Gaza, which has been under Israeli blockade for 18 years.

Israel’s intention to reoccupy Gaza has sparked official and popular criticism worldwide, with warnings of increased Palestinian casualties due to genocide and systematic starvation policies.

According to the Hebrew newspaper, the military operation is expected to continue until 2026 in Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip, where high-rise buildings and Hamas cells are located.

In response to the dangers of reoccupying Gaza on the lives of Israeli captives, families of captives and fallen soldiers plan to stage a comprehensive strike and paralyze life on August 17, with the participation of companies and universities.

Tel Aviv estimates that there are 50 Israeli captives in Gaza, 20 of whom are alive, while over 10,800 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, suffering from torture, starvation, and medical neglect, which has led to the deaths of many, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.

With U.S. support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, including killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, ignoring all international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt it.

The Israeli genocide has resulted in 61,722 Palestinian deaths, 154,525 injuries—mostly children and women—over 9,000 missing, hundreds of thousands displaced, and a famine that has killed 235 people, including 106 children.

For decades, Israel has occupied Palestine and lands in Syria and Lebanon, refusing to withdraw and allow the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on pre-1967 borders.