An Israeli official stated that the expansion of the military operation in the Gaza Strip will not take place until ten days after the upcoming visit of U.S. President Donald Trump to the Middle East, according to Axios.
اضافة اعلان
President Trump is set to meet with leaders from six Gulf countries during his visit to Riyadh, which is scheduled for later this May, according to a source close to the Saudi government speaking to AFP.
The Israeli Security Cabinet (the "kitchenette") has decided to intensify efforts to reach a deal for the release of detainees before Trump's arrival in the region.
These efforts, aimed at reaching a ceasefire in Gaza, are expected to continue until the time of Trump's visit.
Earlier, Israeli media reported that the Israeli military was making extensive preparations to escalate fighting in Gaza, with plans to call up more reserve forces to expand military operations.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation quoted sources within the military stating that this year would be the "year of war," with a focus on Gaza and Iran amidst ongoing regional tensions and escalations.
The newspaper Haaretz reported, citing unnamed military officials, that the Israeli army would begin issuing call-up orders for tens of thousands of reserve soldiers in anticipation of a possible expansion of the fighting in Gaza.
The newspaper added that some reserve soldiers would be deployed on missions in Lebanon and Syria, while others would be stationed in the West Bank, replacing mandatory service units that would be moved to the south in preparation for operations in Gaza.
