Hebrew media reported Sunday that the Israeli military has issued call-up orders to tens of thousands of reservists in preparation for a broader escalation of the genocidal war in Gaza—a move already sparking fatigue, protest, and internal dissent.
According to Yedioth Ahronoth, the Israeli security cabinet was expected to approve new plans to intensify combat operations in Gaza, which would necessitate mass mobilisation of reserve forces.
“In recent days, tens of thousands of reservists have received alerts from their commanders to prepare for deployment,” the paper reported.
Haaretz confirmed the news, stating that the military began sending out draft notices late Saturday night, as part of a new stage in its war campaign against the people of Gaza.
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Hamas Proposes Ceasefire, Israel Escalates Instead
Despite Israel’s claim that Hamas is blocking negotiations, the Palestinian resistance movement presented a proposal on Friday for a comprehensive, simultaneous ceasefire lasting five years. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly rejected the offer outright, insisting on fragmented negotiations—a strategy that Hamas warns will prolong bloodshed.
The Israeli army continues to repeat its stated war objectives: most notably the recovery of captives held in Gaza. Tel Aviv estimates that 59 Israelis remain in Gaza, of whom only 24 are believed to be alive. Meanwhile, over 9,900 Palestinians are currently imprisoned in Israel, many of them enduring torture, medical neglect, and abuse, according to human rights reports.
Reservists Balk as Military Overextends Itself
According to military sources cited by Haaretz, it remains unclear how long this latest wave of reserve duty will last. Most of the reservists will reportedly replace regular troops stationed in the north and the West Bank, allowing those units to be redeployed to intensify ground operations in Gaza.
“This marks a departure from the originally planned operational schedule presented to reservists for the next 12 months,” Haaretz noted.
Even before the call-up notices were officially sent, many reservist commanders and soldiers stated they had no intention of returning to battle, citing overwhelming exhaustion and burnout after months of combat.
Public Protests and Growing Dissent Inside Israel
On Saturday, thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv, opposing the government’s decision to escalate the war. Many warned that this would endanger Israeli captives still alive and likely obliterate any trace of their bodies.
In parallel, over 150,000 Israelis have signed petitions demanding a prisoner exchange in return for ending the war—some petitions launched by military veterans and reservists, and others by civilian advocacy groups aligned with the same demand.
Netanyahu’s War for Political Survival
According to Yedioth Ahronoth, Netanyahu decided to widen the military offensive in Gaza during a recent security briefing with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi. The plan includes a substantial reservist mobilisation to prepare for intensified ground action.
This move comes despite the earlier Egypt-Qatar-U.S.-brokered agreement in January 2025, which briefly paused the war and facilitated a prisoner exchange. That deal collapsed in March after Netanyahu, wanted by the International Criminal Court, walked away from the second phase of the agreement, under pressure from ultranationalist factions in his far-right coalition.
Mass Death in Gaza: The Human Cost
Since October 7, 2023, and with full backing from the United States, Israel has unleashed a systematic campaign of genocide against Gaza. The result has been over 170,000 Palestinians killed or wounded, including thousands of children and women, and more than 11,000 missing under the rubble—many feared dead.
As the war grinds on, the mass call-up of Israeli reserve forces signals not a winding down—but a new phase of escalation, despite mounting civilian deaths and a growing chorus of global outrage.
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