Israel to Mobilize 130,000 Reservists for Gaza Offensive

Israel’s plan to mobilize 130,000 reservists for a major military operation in Gaza City, set to begin September 2, 2025, and extend into 2026, has triggered significant legal concerns for dual citizens and their home countries. The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) aims to deploy 40,000–50,000 reservists initially, a move that has drawn scrutiny due to potential violations of international law, according to research by Shannon Bosch and Joshua Aston of Edith Cowan University.

Under Israeli law, all citizens, including dual nationals abroad, must serve 18–36 months in the IDF, extended to three years post the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, followed by a decade of reserve duty. This has raised alarms for countries like the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Russia, and South Africa, all bound by the Geneva Conventions, Convention against Torture, and Genocide Convention to prevent and punish war crimes.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion declaring Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories unlawful, urging UN member states to avoid aiding it. A preliminary ICJ ruling highlighted a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza, while 40 UN experts warned that states allowing dual nationals to serve in the IDF could be complicit in war crimes. The UN Human Rights Council also called for investigations into alleged crimes in Gaza under domestic or universal jurisdiction.

Civil society groups have intensified pressure: Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police is probing war crimes, possibly targeting dual nationals; the Hind Rajab Foundation submitted evidence to the International Criminal Court in May 2024, alleging war crimes by 1,000 IDF soldiers, including dual citizens; and UK groups filed complaints against British nationals in April 2025. In Australia, the Australian Centre for International Justice monitors about 20 dual nationals, with the government urging caution to avoid criminal liability.

Countries like the U.S., France, and the U.K. permit IDF enlistment through legal exemptions, while Australia allows foreign military service unless it involves designated terrorist zones. South Africa has threatened to prosecute IDF-serving citizens, though enforcement remains inconsistent.

The mobilization heightens risks for dual nationals, who face potential prosecution for grave crimes and involvement in a protracted conflict condemned by international bodies. For their home countries, inaction could imply complicity in violations, raising questions about whether they will enforce warnings or pursue legal action to uphold international obligations.

This unprecedented call-up, one of the largest since the 450,000-reservist cap in May 2025, underscores the delicate balance between national loyalty and global accountability.

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