The Israeli Army announced Wednesday that it has mobilized two more reserve brigades to prepare for ground operations in the Gaza Strip.
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The brigades, which until now have operated near Israel's northern border, have increased their readiness for ground operations in Gaza through a series of trainings, according to a statement by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
It noted that “the soldiers practiced combat techniques and learned the main ideas and lessons from ground combat and maneuvers in the Gaza Strip so far.”
The move comes after the Israeli Army withdrew part of its forces from Gaza.
Despite international calls for it to refrain from such an attack. IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi earlier indicated that Israeli troops will carry out a ground offensive in Rafah, the southernmost city in the Palestinian enclave.
The latest figures from the Palestinian Health Ministry indicate that the number of Palestinians killed in the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 34,262 while the number of injured has risen to 77,229.