Israel will call up tens of thousands of reservists, military officials said Sunday, as the country’s political leadership considers expanding the Israel Defense Forces’ area of operations and overhauling the distribution of food within the Gaza Strip.

Thousands of Israelis have gathered outside the Ministry of Defence in Tel Aviv, urging the government to prioritise the release of captives still held in Gaza instead of escalating military operations in the Palestinian territory.

Israel's war in Gaza grinds on, but opposition is growing. In recent weeks, thousands of Israeli reservists – from all branches of the military – have signed letters demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government stop the fighting and concentrate instead on reaching a deal to bring back the remaining 59 hostages being held by Hamas.