Israel Calls Up 60,000 Reservists for Gaza Offensive

The Israeli government is preparing for a significant new phase of its campaign against Hamas in Gaza City.

In an article entitled “60,000 IDF reservists to be called up in coming days ahead of Gaza City takeover” published on 22nd August, The Times of Israel reported that reservists are to be called up in early September, with additional waves expected through autumn and into 2026. This follows sustained operations by Israeli forces on the outskirts of the city, where units like the Givati and Nahal brigades are engaged.

Despite ongoing negotiations aimed at releasing Israeli hostages held by Hamas, Prime Minister Netanyahu has confirmed that the military campaign will continue.

This determination underlines the long-standing enmity between Israel and the Palestinians inhabiting the Gaza Strip and the Israeli belief that there is no real alternative option available to them. Israel withdrew from Gaza in September 2005—leaving the area to be governed by the Palestinians. However, despite this, they have faced constant missiles being aimed at their civilian population and the October 7th attacks in 2023. The Israelis believe they must deal with Hamas once and for all to obtain peace.

Famine in Gaza: A Growing Humanitarian Disaster

Amidst the fighting, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has tragically reached a critical point. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has declared a famine in parts of Gaza—the first official famine in the Middle East. Reports highlight extreme malnutrition and hunger, particularly affecting children and expectant mothers.

Israel, for its part, rejects accusations of deliberately starving civilians.

On 19th August, the IDF issued a statement entitled “Clearing Up the Misconceptions: Everything You Need to Know About the Humanitarian Aid Situation in Gaza.”

Within it, the IDF detailed extensive humanitarian aid efforts, including the delivery of over 1.9 million tons of food, water, and medical supplies.

Most of it is apparently sitting in distribution centres, ready to be distributed. It has been screened, and the IDF is waiting for international organizations to collect this aid and distribute it. However, they are strangely not doing so.

The IDF states that the problem lies not in a lack of aid but in Hamas’s obstruction and seizure of supplies. This is one of the reasons the aid is not being distributed—a detail which seems to have been neglected by most of the world's media.

The very people who are supposed to be governing and looking after the people of Gaza—the Hamas leadership—are the ones stopping civilians from getting food and supplies. They are using this to create international anger against Israel. They are seemingly choosing the weaponisation of starvation over the comfort of their own people.

The Philistine Spirit in Prophecy

This modern conflict in Gaza echoes the ancient enmity of the Philistines—long-time adversaries of Israel who occupied the same coastal strip.

Scripture speaks prophetically of the Philistines in the latter days. Isaiah 11 is a prophecy about the time when Jesus Christ has returned to the earth. The prophecy references him as a “rod from the stem of Jesse” (v.1). Jesse was the father of David, who was the ancestor of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:1). The prophecy explains that Jesus will return as King and “with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth” (v.4).
At this time we read:

“But they [Israel] shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west...” (Isaiah 11:14).

So, at the time of the start of the Kingdom age, there has to be a hostile people in the area of the ancient Philistine territory in the west for this prophecy to be fulfilled.

Another latter-day prophecy is found in Joel 3. It speaks of the time when God would “bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem.” God has indeed done this. In 1948 and 1967 the captivity of the Jewish nation was indeed brought again into their ancient homeland—despite international pressure to the contrary.

At verse 4 we read:

“Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine?” (Joel 3:4)

These passages suggest a hostile presence in the area of Gaza (the coasts of Palestine) in the time of the end—an enmity that is both historic and prophetic. The spirit of opposition, violence, and hatred seen in Hamas today can be understood as a modern expression of the Philistine hostility foretold in these scriptures.

Yet Peace Before Christ returns

Interestingly, while the present situation is marked by war and unrest, the prophecy of Ezekiel 38—another latter-day prophecy—outlines the situation when the Jews have been regathered to their land, but before Christ returns and the Kingdom of God begins. This prophecy describes Israel dwelling “safely”:

“...the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely...” (Ezekiel 38:11)

From this, we understand that a measure of peace must come to Israel—even with its hostile neighbours—before the Kingdom begins and then those other prophecies are then fulfilled of the subdugation of the coasts of palestine.

Ezekiel 38 speaks of all the natians coming down against Israel before they are defeated by Christ who appears on the scene to save Gods people of Israel and then set up His Kingdom on earth.

This suggests that though the conflict in Gaza is intense now, it may give way to a fragile peace, even while the spirit of hostility remains bubbling under the surface.

From this we can expect the Israelis to be successful in subduing Hamas and establishing peace. It also indicates that, although suffering greatly from starvation at this time, the population of Gaza will survive.

Watching and Waiting

As Bible students, we are not surprised to see the nations raging around Israel. The Scriptures speak plainly of the troubles in the last days and the final gathering of the nations against Jerusalem. But they also speak of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring lasting peace to this troubled region.

Let us continue to watch events in Gaza and Israel through the lens of Bible prophecy, knowing that:

“...the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men...” (Daniel 4:17),

and that the day is coming when:

“...the LORD shall be king over all the earth...” (Zechariah 14:9).

This has been Bible in the News. Stay tuned, and keep watching.