Israel’s military is planning to create a new light brigade unit composed of retirees and volunteers, including ultra-Orthodox citizens, due to a troop shortage, Al Jazeera reports according to Israeli news site Walla.

The unit, called Brigade 96 or “David’s Division”, is expected to have 40,000 personnel, both men and women, according to Walla. They will include soldiers, commanders and officers from infantry brigades, special units and other security organisations, it said.

The plan comes as Israel’s government moves forward with a bill increasing reservists’ retirement age by one year, in an effort to boost troop numbers more than eight months into the Gaza offensive.