The IDF will begin issuing reservist call-up orders on Wednesday for a planned operation in Gaza. Approximately 60,000 reservist orders will be sent, adding to the 70,000 reservists currently serving, resulting in a total of 130,000 reservists in active duty.
The call-up orders will schedule mobilization for early September, approximately two weeks from now. The IDF is preparing for the possibility of lower turnout rates due to reservist fatigue.
The IDF presented the military plan for capturing Gaza City to Defense Minister Israel Katz, outlining a strategy to seize and encircle the area using three to four divisions. The plan primarily relies on regular forces but requires mobilizing 100,000–130,000 reservists to replace regular troops in other sectors across the country.
According to IDF assessments, control of the area could be achieved within two months from the operation's start, though reservists will need to remain for an extended period to clear the area of terrorists and weapons. The operation could commence in early September, pending approval from the government.
On Monday, the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee approved Defense Minister Israel Katz's request to extend emergency reservist mobilization until September 4, 2025, affecting hundreds of thousands of reservists. The decision passed by a single vote, 8 in favor and 7 against, with ultra-Orthodox Knesset members abstaining.
