A military official confirmed that five divisions will participate in operation, writes the BBC. According to announcements, reservists will report for duty during September, but most of the forces mobilized for the offensive will be active military personnel.

Israeli forces are already operating in the Zeitoun and Jabalia areas in preparation for a plan approved by Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday, which will be presented to the security cabinet later this week.

Evacuation and international condemnations

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza city are expected to be ordered to evacuate to shelters in the south. Many of Israel's allies condemned the plan. French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Wednesday that it"can only lead to disaster for both peoples and risks plunging the entire region into a cycle of permanent war".

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced that further displacement and the intensification of the conflict"risk worsening the already catastrophic situation" for the 2.1 million residents of Gaza.

The Israeli government's intention to conquer the entire Gaza Strip was announced after indirect ceasefire talks with Hamas broke down last month.

Qatari and Egyptian mediators are trying to reach a deal before the offensive begins and presented a new proposal for a 60-day truce and the release of half of the remaining 50 hostages, which Hamas said they accepted on Monday. the release of all the hostages, of which, it is believed, only 20 are still alive.

Military details of the operation

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Wednesday that orders had been issued to call up 60,000 reservists as part of preparations for the"next phase of Operation Gideon Chariot" - the ground offensive launched in May that has taken control of at least 75% of Gaza. Additionally, the existing orders will be extended for the 20,000 reservists already called up.

A military official said senior commanders had approved a plan for a"phased, precise and targeted operation in and around Gaza City," during which units would enter areas they had not previously entered. Haaretz quoted Defense Minister Katz as saying on Tuesday:"After the operation is over, Gaza will change its face and will no longer look like it did in the past." Katz also reportedly approved a plan for the "accommodation" of residents of Gaza City in the south of the territory, including the coastal area of al-Mawasi, where field hospitals will be established.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that the army's goals are to free all hostages and"complete the defeat" of Hamas.

The humanitarian disaster is deepening

The UN Human Rights Office has recorded 54 Israeli attacks on residential buildings in Gaza City since August 8. At the same time, the IDF reported on Wednesday the continuation of operations in Jabalia and the outskirts of Gaza City, where, as they say, they"dismantled military infrastructure above and below ground, eliminated terrorists and strengthened operational control." Civilians are ordered to move south for their own safety.

Hamas Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Bassal described the situation in the city's Zeitoun and Sabra neighborhoods as"very dangerous and intolerable." According to agency reports, 21 people were killed in the Israeli attacks on Wednesday, including three children and their parents.

The UN and non-governmental organizations warned of the dire humanitarian impact of the new offensive."Forcing hundreds of thousands of people to move to the south is a recipe for further disaster and could constitute forced relocation," they said in a joint statement, noting that the southern areas are already overbooked and unequipped to accommodate so many people.

The World Food Program has warned that malnutrition in Gaza is rising rapidly, while Hamas' health ministry reported three more deaths from malnutrition, bringing the total number of such deaths since the start of the war to 269. Israel's Kogat military body, which controls the entry of aid, claims hundreds of truckloads of supplies are being delivered daily.

The Gaza war began after a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and 251 people were taken hostage. Since then, according to the Ministry of Health, at least 62,122 people have been killed in Gaza.