The move comes a day after Arab mediators said Hamas had agreed to cease-fire terms but that they were still waiting on an answer from Jerusalem.
Israel has called up around 60,000 reservists ahead of an expansion of its operation in Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Aug 20.
In a post on X, the IDF said that the new reserve orders were issued on Wednesday morning, while another 20,000 had their service extended as part of the next phase of Operation “Gideon’s Chariots.”
⭕️As part of the next phase of Operation “Gideon’s Chariots”, ~60,000 reserve orders were issued this morning, and 20,000 reservists had their service extended.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 20, 2025
The IDF values its reservists and their vital role in Israel’s security.
It is currently unclear when the next phase of the operation—named after the Biblical warrior Gideon, who, according to the Book of Judges, led the Israelites to victory over the Midianite army with just 300 men—will commence.
The move comes almost two weeks after the Jewish state approved plans to take control of Gaza City, while distributing humanitarian aid to civilians outside combat zones, amid international pushback.
Ahead of that decision, Jerusalem’s security cabinet endorsed five principles for ending the war.
These include disarming the Hamas terrorist organization, securing the release of all remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza, maintaining Israel’s security control over the territory, and establishing an alternative civil administration unaffiliated with either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
The mobilization announcement comes as Arab mediators continue their moves to try to bring the conflict to an end.
The war in Gaza has raged since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages into Gaza.
The terrorist group still holds 50 hostages, with the Israeli government believing 20 to still be alive.
The Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health said on Monday via Telegram that more than 62,000 people have been killed since the start of Israel’s offensive in Gaza in October 2023, which was in response to the Hamas attacks. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in these casualty figures, and The Epoch Times cannot verify their accuracy.
On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the IDF’s Gaza Division and, during the trip, described Hamas as being under “immense pressure.”
Netanyahu also criticized his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, over his decision to recognize a Palestinian state.
By Guy Birchall
