Israel Calls Up 60,000 Reservists for Gaza Offensive, Fuels Protests/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israel began calling up 60,000 reservists Tuesday as it widened its offensive in Gaza City. Heavy airstrikes killed dozens of Palestinians amid worsening famine and displacement. The move sparked protests in Tel Aviv, with critics questioning whether the escalation will achieve Israel’s goals against Hamas.
Israel Gaza Offensive Quick Looks
- Israel expands ground and air operations in Zeitoun and Shijaiyah
- 60,000 reservists called up, plus 20,000 service extensions
- Gaza Health Ministry: 63,633 Palestinians killed, 160,914 wounded
- At least 47 killed Tuesday, including 26 in Gaza City
- Strikes on residential buildings left families dead, children trapped
- Famine declared in Gaza City; 185 malnutrition deaths in August
- Israeli-backed aid contractor GHF under scrutiny for deadly incidents
- Reservist protests erupt in Tel Aviv, defying government call-ups
- Israel cites tunnels and Hamas stronghold in Gaza City
- War began Oct. 7, 2023, after Hamas-led attack killed 1,200 Israelis
Israel Calls Up 60,000 Reservists for Gaza Offensive, Fuels Protests
Deep Look
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel intensified its Gaza City offensive Tuesday, mobilizing tens of thousands of reservists while striking residential neighborhoods that left dozens dead, escalating both the humanitarian toll in Gaza and domestic dissent inside Israel.
Mobilizing Reservists Amid Expanding Assault
The Israeli military confirmed it will gradually call up 60,000 reservists, in addition to extending the service of 20,000 currently active reservists. The mobilization comes as Israel deepens its push into Gaza City, targeting Zeitoun and Shijaiyah, two neighborhoods repeatedly hit over the nearly two-year war.
The neighborhoods, once bustling with schools, markets, and clinics, are now largely depopulated. Israel’s military has declared them “dangerous combat zones,” citing Hamas’ entrenched tunnel networks. Gaza City remains Hamas’ political and military hub, as well as a refuge for hundreds of thousands of civilians displaced from other regions.
Heavy Civilian Toll in Gaza
Hospitals across Gaza reported at least 47 deaths since dawn Tuesday. Shifa Hospital in Gaza City received 26 bodies, while al-Quds Hospital reported 28 wounded from a strike in Tel al-Hawa. Overnight strikes on a residential building killed 15 people, including three children.
AP footage showed rescue workers pulling a bloodied infant alive from beneath rubble, before lining up bodies under white sheets — a stark reminder of the cycle of displacement and devastation facing Gaza’s residents.
Further south, Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis and Awda Hospital in Nuseirat confirmed 22 more killed by airstrikes and gunfire near aid distribution sites. The incidents drew scrutiny of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an Israeli-backed contractor whose sites have repeatedly been linked to fatalities during aid distributions.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The Gaza Health Ministry reported 63,633 deaths and 160,914 wounded since the war began. August saw 185 deaths from malnutrition, the highest monthly total in recent months, underscoring the collapse of food access after famine was declared in Gaza City.
While Israel disputes the Health Ministry’s figures, U.N. agencies and independent experts continue to treat them as the most reliable estimates.
Domestic Pushback in Israel
The mass call-up triggered protests in Tel Aviv, where reservists and activists questioned whether the offensive was politically motivated. Refusing reserve duty carries prison penalties, though enforcement has been limited. Critics argue the war strategy is not delivering on Israel’s stated goal of destroying Hamas’ military capacity.
The War’s Origins and Current Stakes
The conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants stormed southern Israel, killing 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking 251 hostages. Israel says 48 hostages remain in Gaza, about 20 of them believed alive.
With international condemnation mounting, Israeli leaders insist the offensive is necessary to dismantle Hamas and prevent future attacks. Yet the rising civilian toll, famine conditions, and protests at home suggest both the humanitarian and political costs of the war are only intensifying.
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