The Israeli government activated tens of thousands of reservists in its military ahead of a planned operation to take control of Gaza City.

Approximately 60,000 reserve members of the Israel Defense Forces were called up. Additionally, about 20,000 soldiers who are currently serving had their term of service extended.

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“I instruct you to use all tools and all power to strike the enemy until it is subdued, and to protect IDF soldiers,” Defense Minister Israel Katz told Israeli military personnel on Wednesday.

The plan, referred to as operation “Gideon’s Chariots B,” is expected to give Israel functional control of almost the entire Gaza Strip.

Such a massive activation of soldiers is a bold political move for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Cabinet amid widespread protests calling for an end to the 22-month conflict.

Critics of the Netanyahu government see the invasion of Gaza City as an unnecessary extension of hostilities and unproductive in recovering the remaining hostages.

Netanyahu has emphasized his belief that no trace of Hamas should be allowed to survive. Gaza City is the last major stronghold where Hamas retains any military or political power.

Israel turned down the latest proposal for a ceasefire despite Hamas signaling approval of the plan.

That proposal would have established a 60-day cessation of hostilities and traded the release of 28 Israeli hostages, 10 of whom are alive and 18 of whom are dead, for an unidentified number of Palestinian prisoners.

Israeli intelligence believes 50 hostages remain in the hands of Hamas, but only 20 of them are believed to be alive.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich dismissed Hamas’s ceasefire proposal, saying, “Stopping in the middle with a partial deal that abandons half of the hostages and that could lead to the suspension of the war in defeat.”

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Netanyahu doesn’t have a “mandate to go to a partial deal.”

Israel seems to have President Donald Trump’s blessing for the invasion of Gaza City, as Trump advocated the total destruction of Hamas on social media.

“We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!!” he wrote on Truth Social. “The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be.”

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An estimated one million Palestinians are expected to be displaced by the operation.

Israeli officials said the military is making “humanitarian preparations” ahead of the invasion to care for such refugees.