The government of Israel has called up 300,000 reservists since the surprise attack that the Islamist organization Hamas launched last Saturday from the Gaza Strip, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lior Haiat confirmed this Tuesday.

At the same time, the Israeli Air Force announced that it is sending military transport planes abroad to facilitate the return of Israelis abroad who want to join the troops. “300,000 reservist soldiers were called up for military service,” Haiat told EFE, but without giving more details about whether all of them had already presented themselves.

Israel has managed to move that number of reservists in just 48 hours, something unprecedented, according to the Army. In the Yom Kippur War of 1973, Israel mobilized 400,000 reservists, but throughout the campaign that lasted 18 days. In Israel, every adult up to the age of 40 counts as a reserve soldier, is obliged to go to the ranks if called and occasionally participate in training activities, although pregnant women or women with children are exempt.

About a quarter of these reservists They are considered “active” for having participated in regular trainings. Many Israelis who had traveled abroad, something common at this time for the Sukkot holiday week when the attack occurred, were rushing to return to their country when the war broke out. Especially in nearby Cyprus, a popular holiday destination for Israelis, there were huge queues and attempts to get a seat on a flight, as EFE could see.

“There are planes from all over the world full of Israelis who want to returnwho ask to return to fight,” said Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen last night. The Israeli air forces have launched an operation to facilitate this return, sending transport planes abroad, as confirmed by the military institution this Tuesday on the social network. X, formerly Twitter.

“Tonight, transport aircraft of the ‘Karnaf’ and ‘Shimson’ type have brought hundreds of fighters from the Israeli Armed Forces back to Israel to participate in the ‘Iron Sword’ war, as part of the Israeli army’s efforts concentrate forces for the fighting that continues,” the message states. He adds that “the landing of the planes and fighters is coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Air Force”but did not detail which countries the operation covers.