ISTANBUL

The Israel army said Saturday that it was sending call-up orders to tens of thousands of reservists to expand its offensive in the Gaza Strip.

“The tens of thousands of reservists being called up would begin to show up in the military in the coming week,” it said.

The move comes amid an already deteriorating humanitarian situation in the enclave.

Israel has blocked all aid, medicine, food and commercial goods from entering Gaza since March 2.

Nearly 52,500 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in the brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.​​​​​​​

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.