Shafaq News – Middle East

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has approved a new Gaza City offensive plan, with tens of thousands of reservists set for mobilization, local media reported on Wednesday.

According to Channel 12, the campaign, named “Gideon’s Chariots II,” involves about 60,000 emergency call-up orders alongside an extension of service for 20,000 reservists already in uniform, bringing total manpower to roughly 80,000 troops.

As part of the plan, “the army will transfer civilians from combat zones in Gaza to the southern part of the enclave before advancing.”

While Israeli authorities described the move as necessary ‘’to dismantle Hamas,’’ critics warned it could complicate hostage negotiations and heighten domestic tensions.

Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who led Israel between 1999 and 2001, cautioned that the offensive would hand Hamas a political victory and endanger captives.

“Occupying Gaza is a deadly trap,” he warned. “It means we will not bring the hostages back; they will be killed during the operation.”

Moreover, families of the remaining hostages urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pursue a ceasefire deal for the release of roughly 50 captives. “Everyone knows conditions are ripe for a deal, and it is in your hands,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum stated, emphasizing that Israelis want the hostages returned rather than further reports of soldiers being killed.

Mediators are also pressing for a 60-day truce, including phased prisoner exchanges and wider humanitarian access. Earlier, Israel’s public broadcaster, citing an official from the Prime Minister’s office, reported that Netanyahu rejected the proposal, “which Hamas had accepted.”

The war, now in its 22nd month, has drawn mounting international criticism. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 62,064 Palestinians killed and 156,573 wounded since October 7, 2023.