Israel has stepped up its military operations on several fronts in recent days. On Saturday, May 3, it launched a new mobilization, for a "significant duration," involving several brigades and tens of thousands of reservists to expand its operations in the Gaza Strip. The reservists will be deployed along the Lebanese border and in the occupied West Bank, replacing conscripts who are being sent to Gaza.

After 19 months of intense warfare, this plan to extend military operations in the enclave was unanimously approved on Sunday night by the Israeli security cabinet, the governmental body responsible for conducting the conflict. The rotation is expected to take about 10 days, allowing Israel to be on a war footing when US President Donald Trump completes his visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, starting May 13 – a visit aimed in part at persuading Israel and Hamas to compromise on their hardline positions.

Israel claims this move is part of a plan to gradually increase pressure on the Palestinian Islamist movement to accept a ceasefire agreement that is more favorable to Israel, which wants the release of its hostages while maintaining its army in Gaza. In early March, humanitarian aid was cut off, followed by electricity powering a water desalination plant. On March 18, the Israeli Army resumed the offensive with a series of rapid and deadly strikes, entering Palestinian territory, gradually displacing the population by issuing evacuation orders and carrying out bombings, a prelude to a large-scale operation.

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