Israel Mobilizes Reservists Ahead of Gaza Offensive

Rapid Summary

• Israel’s military is calling up 60,000 reservists and extending services of 20,000 for a planned offensive in Gaza City.
• Defense Minister Israel Katz approved the operation’s expansion into densely populated areas where Hamas has a stronghold.
• International concerns include humanitarian crises such as widespread displacement and famine in Gaza, as negotiators push for a ceasefire after 22 months of fighting.
• Israeli troops are preparing to target Hamas’ underground tunnel network in regions like Zeitoun and Jabaliya within Gaza City.
• the mobilisation marks one of the largest military escalations in months amidst ongoing rocket attacks by Hamas following losses of senior leadership figures.
• Separately, Israel approved construction plans for E1 settlement projects near Jerusalem in the West Bank despite international warnings about its impact on future Palestinian statehood.

!Israeli soldiers uses binoculars to look at damaged buildings

Indian opinion Analysis
mobilisation by Israel signals a meaningful escalation that may worsen already dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza while raising broader geopolitical sensitivities internationally. For India-given its historical alignment with both Palestine’s concerns and good relations with Israel-such developments reinforce challenges balancing diplomacy amid intensifying regional tensions. The approval of new settlements adds complexity, signaling potential long-term implications for peace negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis, which have global resonance including how emerging economic powers like India navigate neutral yet impactful foreign policy stances.

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