By MELANIE LIDMAN, SAM METZ and SAMY MAGDY, Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s military said Wednesday it would call up tens of thousands of reservists and extend the service of others for an expanded military operation in Gaza City.

Defense Minister Israel Katz approved plans to begin a new phase of operations in some of Gaza’s most densely populated areas, Israel’s military said Wednesday. The scheme, expected to receive the final approval from the chief of staff in the coming days, includes calling up 60,000 reservists and extending the service of an additional 20,000 currently serving.

In a country of fewer than 10 million people, the call-up of so many reservists carries both economic and political weight and comes days after hundreds of thousands rallied for a ceasefire.

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