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Rabat – In a significant alarming military escalation, Israel has begun mobilizing tens of thousands of reservists to intensify operations in Gaza, according to multiple Israeli news sources.
The development coincides with Hamas releasing footage of a hostage Russian-Israeli man, identified by media as Maxim Herkin.
The video shows a bandaged individual speaking Hebrew with a Russian accent who refers to himself as “prisoner number 24” and appears to have sustained injuries from bombing. His family has requested media outlets refrain from sharing the recording.
The Israeli Occupation Forces’ (IOF) are fortifying their ranks following months of committing a devastating genocide on Gaza.
After a brief two-month ceasefire, IOF resumed its genocidal assaults on March 18, continuing the genocide that has killed over 52,000 Palestinian lives according to Hamas Health Ministry figures.
Exacerbating the already dire catastrophe, the IOF enforced on March 2 a food and humanitarian aid blockade that international organizations have strongly condemned, accusing Netanyahu’s government as using it asa a tactic of collective punishment against civilians.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned against a “catastrophic” situation looming the enclave due to the prolonged prevention entry of medical aid for nearly two months.
“We are very close to the edge of the abyss,” said WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris in a statement, pointing out the dire impact of the Israeli siege on Gaza’s healthcare system.
Read also: ICJ Holds Hearings on Israel’s Humanitarian Obligations to Palestinians
Since dawn on Sunday, Israeli airstrikes have already killed 23 Palestinians, including 19 in southern Gaza.
As usual, Israel justifies their relentless assaults as necessary in order to pressure to secure the release the remaining hostages from Gaza as well as broader security objectives. Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu has recently vowed that he will get back the hostages without caving down to Hamas’ pressure.
The newly mobilized reservists will reportedly replace active-duty occupation forces across Israel and the West Bank, freeing those troops for combat operations in Gaza.
When questioned, the IOF’ spokespersons neither confirmed nor denied these deployment plans, though mobilization orders (Tsav 8) are already reaching civilians.
On Saturday evening, thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv carrying photos of hostages, demanding their government take more effective action to bring hostages home safely.
