The Israel Defense Forces announced Saturday night that it is issuing tens of thousands of call-up orders to reservists as part of preparations for a significantly expanded offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The mobilization, which will begin in the coming days, marks one of the largest troop deployments since the war began following Hamas’s October 7 attack.

While many of the reservists have already been activated multiple times during the ongoing conflict, this new wave of call-ups is intended to support a staged military plan approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and currently under review by the security cabinet, which is set to vote on the offensive strategy Sunday.

The large-scale mobilization coincides with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to postpone his planned May 7–11 visit to Azerbaijan, citing “recent developments in Gaza and Syria” and an “intense diplomatic and security schedule.”

Currently, three IDF divisions are active in the Strip. Under the proposed plan, the military will begin operations in additional areas of Gaza, especially where Hamas is believed to still have organized fighting forces—most notably in central Gaza. According to the IDF, the group is preserving its top-tier terrorists while continuing to recruit and train new fighters, including teenagers.

Some of the reservists will be deployed to other fronts—including the northern border with Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank—to relieve standing army units who may be redirected to Gaza.