Image Credentials: Image Title: Israeli Military Declares Control of Gaza City’s Entrances, Mobilizes 60,000 Reservists Source: (gemeni) Date: August 2025 Attribution: Created by AI-generated imagery (gemeni), it does not depict a real-world scene.
By Staff Writer | Open Chronicle with Agencies
The Israeli military announced today that it has taken control of the entrances to Gaza City, marking the beginning of the “Phase 2” offensive aimed at occupying the Palestinian enclave’s main urban center. According to military spokesperson Effie Defrin, these movements are the preliminary stages of the full-scale operation.
The advance comes after the Israeli government approved a plan to seize control of Gaza City and expand operations into refugee camps in the central part of the territory, which are considered the final strongholds of the Hamas group. This strategy also aims to secure the release of all hostages and gain full security control of the Gaza Strip.
The military has deployed its 99th Infantry Brigade to the southern neighborhood of Zeitun, while teams from the 162nd Armored Division are positioned to the north in Jabalia. Officials stated that additional forces are expected to join the fighting shortly. To support the offensive, Defense Minister Israel Katz has ordered the mobilization of over 60,000 reservists to join the mission, with another 70,000 expected to extend their current service.
The decision to escalate the offensive was accelerated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who ordered a reduction in the timeline for an invasion. The move comes even as negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release are underway. While Hamas recently approved a new 60-day ceasefire proposal, an Israeli government spokesperson stated that the country is not interested in “partial agreements.”
This latest phase of the conflict has met with internal objections, including from the armed forces commander, who raised concerns about the fate of the hostages. It is believed that 20 are still alive, while 30 are presumed to be deceased. The plan also calls for the forced displacement of roughly one million people from Gaza City, many of whom have already been displaced from other areas. In response, families of the hostages have been protesting, demanding an end to the war and the return of all captives.
The ongoing conflict began with the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed nearly 1,200 people. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has led to widespread destruction and, according to local authorities, has resulted in the deaths of over 62,000 people in Gaza. The United Nations has warned that the enclave is on the verge of a “widespread famine.”