According to a report in Yediot Achronot, the plan outlined by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir will involve the emergency mobilization of between 80,000 and 100,000 reservists under Tzav 8 orders.
The upcoming large-scale campaign in Gaza—primarily concentrated in Gaza City and the northern part of the Strip—will focus on striking high-rise structures in the city’s western sector and engaging the guerrilla cells that Hamas has prepared. The operation is expected to continue well into 2026.
Even before Zamir formally approved the outline earlier this week, the IDF had already indicated that such a mission could not move forward without activating reserves.
“We will definitely call up reservists, and the question will not be if — but how many. The focus is not only on Gaza, but also on the olive harvest period in Judea and Samaria in the fall. We will take the holiday season into account. We will present several alternatives based on the operational methods chosen, and these will be finalized later,” the army said.
On Wednesday, the General Staff Forum convened with ISA officials and other senior commanders to review the IDF’s progress so far, including the ongoing operations launched a day earlier in the Zeitoun area.
The meeting also featured the presentation and approval of the central concept for the next stages of the Gaza campaign, in line with directives from the political leadership.
Zamir underscored the need to boost force readiness and prepare for the reserve call-up, while ensuring units have the necessary time to regroup and recover in advance of the next phase of operations.
{Matzav.com Israel}
