Israeli army to mobilize 2 reserve brigades for Gaza security duties

By Said Amori

JERUSALEM (AA) – The Israeli army announced Sunday its intention to enlist two additional brigades in the Gaza Strip as part of its ongoing war on the enclave, now entering its seventh month.

“Two reserve brigades will be mobilized in the coming days for operational duties in the Gaza sector,” the army said in a statement.

“Their enlistment will enhance ongoing efforts and readiness to defend the State of Israel and ensure the security of its citizens," it added.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas in which nearly 1,200 people were killed.

More than 33,700 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza and nearly 76,400 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered it to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala