Israel is to call up about 60,000 reservists in stages over the coming months to support an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operation to capture Gaza City, after Defence Minister Israel Katz approved the army’s plans.

Initial mobilisation orders are to be issued from Wednesday, with most reservists required to report in early September, according to the IDF and security officials.

Under the schedule outlined by the military, call-ups will be staggered in three waves. Around 40,000–50,000 reservists are due to report on 2 September, with additional waves planned for November–December and again in February–March 2026. All reservists will receive at least two weeks’ notice before reporting. The army is also extending reserve duty for many personnel currently serving by 30–40 days, which would bring the number of reservists on duty at any given time during the offensive to roughly 130,000. Not all those called up are expected to take part directly in the Gaza City operation; many will replace standing army units on other fronts.

The mobilisation is intended to support five IDF divisions earmarked for the operation. The force package comprises 12 brigade-level combined-arms teams — infantry, armour, artillery and combat engineering — together with combat support elements. The Gaza Division’s northern and southern brigades, ordinarily responsible for border security, are also to take part, bringing the total to 14 brigades. Three reserve brigades and several additional battalions are included among the mobilised formations, together with large numbers of intelligence, logistics and other support personnel.

Katz approved the plan, codenamed “Gideon’s Chariots B”, at a meeting in Tel Aviv with Chief of Staff Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, senior commanders and Shin Bet representatives. A previous operation of the same name saw the IDF take control of about three-quarters of the Strip in an effort to increase pressure on Hamas during hostage negotiations. The updated plan is due to be presented to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week.

Preparation phases have already begun. The Nahal Infantry Brigade and 7th Armoured Brigade have operated in the Zeitoun neighbourhood, while the Givati Infantry Brigade has launched a new push in Kafr Jabalia to the north of the city, the IDF said. The planned assault would open with an evacuation warning for civilians in Gaza City. Israeli officials have previously indicated that Palestinians will have until 7 October 2025 to leave, a date that coincides with the second anniversary of Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel. The IDF then intends to encircle Gaza City before advancing into areas previously not fully cleared of Hamas infrastructure.

Humanitarian measures are to be expanded in southern Gaza ahead of the operation, according to the defence ministry. The military plans to add aid distribution sites and establish at least two more field hospitals. Officials also said the European Hospital in Khan Younis, closed after troops uncovered a tunnel beneath the facility in June, is slated to resume operations. Talks with international organisations are under way to open access routes to additional medical facilities and to set up further field hospitals in the south.

The build-up proceeds alongside diplomatic activity over a possible truce. Hamas has said it has accepted a ceasefire proposal tied to a hostage release; Israel has said it is reviewing the response while maintaining that any agreement must secure the release of all remaining captives. Should a comprehensive hostage–ceasefire agreement be reached, officials indicated the Gaza City operation could be cancelled.

Israeli officials say armed groups in Gaza are holding 50 hostages, including 49 abducted on 7 October 2023; at least 28 are confirmed dead. Around 20 captives are believed to be alive, with concerns for two others. Hamas also holds the body of an IDF soldier killed in 2014.

While Israeli media have reported a 60,000-strong mobilisation, some outlets have cited a lower initial tranche. Reuters, quoting a military official, reported that roughly 50,000 reservists would be called up ahead of the Gaza City operation, with many assigned to replace regular units on other fronts or to reinforce support functions.

The stated objective of the current planning is the capture of Gaza City and further degradation of Hamas’s military capability. The scale and phasing of the call-up, together with planned expansions to humanitarian provision, point to preparations for sustained operations even as mediation continues.