Palestinians inspect the site of an overnight Israeli strike on a house in Gaza City on August 20, 2025. DAWOUD ABU ALKAS / REUTERS

The Israeli military said it had called up an additional 60,000 reservists and extended the service of 20,000 "as part of the next phase of 'Operation Gideon's Chariot'" - the name of Israel's military operation in Gaza.

Israel is preparing to launch an expanded military operation in Gaza City, possibly in the coming days, even as negotiators scramble to bring Israel and Hamas to a ceasefire after 22 months of fighting.

It comes as human rights groups warn that a humanitarian crisis could worsen in Gaza, where most residents have been displaced, vast neighborhoods lie in ruins and communities are facing the threat of famine.

An Israeli military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with military regulations, said the Israel Defense Forces will be operating in parts of Gaza City where they have not yet operated and where they believe Hamas is still active.

The official said Israeli troops are already operating in the Zeitoun and Jabaliya neighborhoods of Gaza City to prepare the groundwork for the expanded operation, which is expected to receive approval from the chief of staff in the coming days.

The IDF regards Gaza City as Hamas' main military and governing stronghold and Israeli troops will again be targeting Hamas' vast underground tunnel network, the official added.

Although Israel has targeted and killed much of Hamas' senior leadership, parts of the militant group are actively regrouping and carrying out attacks, including launching rockets toward Israel, the official said.

It remains unclear when the operation will begin, but it could be a matter of days. The official said the operation was expected to last between four to six months.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently said the objective of the war is to secure the release of the remaining hostages and ensure Hamas and other militants can never again threaten Israel.

The planned offensive, first announced earlier this month, has heightened international condemnation of Israel and fueled fears that it will lead to another mass displacement of Palestinians.

Netanyahu said on Aug. 9 that it would span parts of Gaza City and the central camps [or for newly displaced people. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people are sheltering in the city and it holds some of the last remnants of critical infrastructure.

AP journalists saw small groups heading south from the city this week, but how many will voluntarily flee remains unclear. Some said they were waiting to see how events unfold before moving yet again, and many insist nowhere is safe from airstrikes.

The Israeli call-up comes as a growing campaign of exhausted reservists is accusing the government of perpetuating the war for political reasons and failing to bring home the remaining hostages.

The families of the hostages and former army and intelligence chiefs have also expressed opposition to the expanded operation in Gaza City. Most of the families of the hostages want an immediate ceasefire and worry an expanded assault could imperil the return home of the 50 hostages still in Gaza. Israel believes 20 are still alive.

The former chiefs are skeptical the goal of completely destroying Hamas is attainable. The former head of Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency, Yoram Cohen called it a "fantasy," saying that "if anyone imagines that we can reach every terrorist and every pit and every weapon, and in parallel bring our hostages home - I think it is impossible."

The war began when Hamas carried out a terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Hamas says it will only free the rest in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal.

Mediators and Hamas both said this week that Hamas leaders had agreed to cease-fire terms, though similar announcements have been made in the past that did not lead to ceasefires.

An Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media said Israel is in constant contact with the mediators in an effort to secure the release of the hostages.

Netanyahu has repeatedly said he will oppose a deal that doesn't include the "complete defeat of Hamas."

More than 62,000 people have been killed during Israel's 22-month offensive, Gaza's Health Ministry said on Monday. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The ministry does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants, but says women and children make up around half of them.

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