Israel will call up 50,000 reservists before a planned offensive to take Gaza City but most forces that would operate in the Gaza Strip's largest urban centre would be active duty soldiers, an Israeli military official said on Wednesday.

An Israeli military official said on Wednesday that the country’s top generals had approved plans to call up tens of thousands of reservists in order to begin a new phase of operations in some of Gaza’s most densely populated areas.

Israel's defence minister has approved a plan for the conquest of Gaza City and authorised the call-up of around 60,000 reservists to carry it out, his ministry confirmed on Wednesday.