The Israeli armed forces are calling up reservists in preparation for a possible resumption of fighting in the Gaza Strip if the Palestinian Islamist movement "Hamas" missed a deadline to release more Israeli hostages by this Saturday and the ceasefire agreement reached a month ago will be canceled, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
Fear is growing that the ceasefire will fail, while dissatisfaction in Arab countries is growing over President Donald Trump's plan for the United States to establish control over Gaza, evict Palestinian residents of the strip and build an international beach resort there.
Netanyahu said he had ordered the military to concentrate its forces in and around Gaza, and the Israeli army announced that it was deploying additional forces in southern Israel, including mobilizing reservists.
The confrontation threatens to reignite the conflict that has devastated the Gaza Strip, led to the internal displacement of most of its residents and caused shortages of food and running water, pushing the Middle East to the brink of wider regional war, Reuters notes.
Gaza residents are expressing concern that a ceasefire agreement could collapse and have called on the leaders of "Hamas" and Israel to agree on a possible extension.