Some 60,000 Israeli reservists were set to receive call-up orders that the military will issue starting Wednesday for an offensive against Hamas in Gaza City, after Defense Minister Israel Katz approved the army’s plans, according to the Israel Defense Forces and security officials.

The orders were not immediate, but rather were slated to take place in several waves. The majority — around 40,000-50,000 — would be ordered to show up for duty on September 2. Another wave would take place in November-December, and a third wave in February-March 2026, the IDF said.

The number of reservists being called up is in addition to tens of thousands of reservists who are currently serving in the reserves.

The IDF said it was also extending reserve duty for some 20,000 reservists who were currently on duty by another 30-40 days. This would bring the total number of reservists at a given time during the offensive to around 130,000.

The reservists included three brigades and several more battalions, and many combat support soldiers, including in intelligence and logistics.

Not all of the reservists are expected to participate in the operation to capture Gaza City, as some will instead be replacing standing army troops on other fronts.

In all, five IDF divisions, made up of tens of thousands of troops, were set to participate in the military’s planned offensive against Hamas in Gaza City, according to the army.

The forces included 12 brigade-level teams, each of which has infantry, armored, artillery, and combat engineering forces, along with combat support. In addition, the Gaza Division’s northern and southern brigades — normally tasked with the border — are set to participate in the offensive, bringing the total number of brigades to 14.

The reserve call-up orders were sent out after Katz met........

© The Times of Israel