Israel will call up 50,000 reservists before a planned offensive to take Gaza City but most forces that would operate in the Gaza Strip's largest urban centre would be active duty soldiers, an Israeli military official said on Wednesday.

As Israel seeks to expand its offensive in Gaza, discontent is evident among some reservists being called up to serve once again.

In leaked audio recordings, the former head of Israeli military intelligence can be heard saying that the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza is “necessary and required for future generations.

Few of the Israelis taken hostage in the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, have drawn as much attention as the Bibas family — two parents and two small children. For many Israelis, their abductions came to symbolize the brutality of the assault.

Najjar was involved in the invasion of the Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the hardest hit during the deadly Oct. 7 attacks, where Bibas was kidnapped. Bibas’ family was kidnapped separately and was eventually murdered while in captivity.

A ship loaded with 1,200 tons of food supplies for Gaza is approaching the Israeli port of Ashdod. It's expected to dock on Tuesday as part of renewed efforts to alleviate the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory.

Outline includes troop buildup in northern Gaza and ‘stepped-up pressure on Hamas,’ local media says - Anadolu Ajansı