Israel will withdraw thousands of troops from Gaza for the first time after the start of ground action against Hamas

Israeli soldiers load shells into a tank in a field in southern Israel near Gaza on December 31, 2023. (AP Photo/Ohad Zweigenberg)

Thousands of Israeli soldiers will withdraw from Gaza StripIt is the first significant troop reduction since the war began, the army said on Monday, as the army continued its assault on the main city in the southern part of the enclave.

The movement of troops may indicate that Fighting is decreasing in some parts of the stripespecially in the North, where the army has said it is going to assume operational control, Israel has faced pressure from its main ally, usa, To reduce the intensity of their attacks.

The news of the return of the United States Secretary of State comes ahead of a new visit, anthony blinkenFor the region and after the government Joe Biden For the second time in a month, Congress abstained from approving immediate arms sales to Israel.

But Fierce fighting continues in some areas of Gazaespecially in southern cities khan younis And in the center of the field. Israel has promised that the war will continue until it achieves its objectives, including eliminating Hamas, which has ruled the Strip for 16 years.

The army said this in a statement on Monday Five brigades, or several thousand troops, will leave Gaza in the coming weeks to train and rest.

An Israeli soldier loads a mortar at an undisclosed location on the border with Gaza, southern Israel. (EFE/EPA/Abeer Sultan)

A day earlier at a conference, the army spokesperson, Rear Admiral, had announced the departure of the troops without giving further details Daniel Hagari He did not clarify whether the decision meant Israel had started a new phase of the war.

“War objectives require a prolonged war, and we are preparing accordingly.”“He added.

Israel vows to crush Hamas’ military and governance capabilities In a war sparked by a rebel group’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, which went 1,200 dead, Most citizens. About 240 people were taken hostage.

Israel responded with an intense air, land and sea campaign. More than 21,800 people lost their lives in GazaTwo-thirds of whom were women and minors, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas and does not distinguish between civilian victims and combatants in its counting.

Israeli soldier in a tank. Near the Gaza border (Reuters/Violeta Santos Moura)

According to Israeli officials, more than 8,000 fighters have been killed, but he offered no evidence to support that claim. Furthermore, they blame Hamas for the large number of civilian casualties and allege that the rebels infiltrated residential areas, including schools and hospitals.

The war has displaced about 85% of the enclave’s 2.3 million residents., which has led to an increase in the number of people seeking refuge in areas Israel has described as safe, which are still being bombarded by its military. Palestinians feel that nowhere in the small area is safe.

In khan younisResidents reported airstrikes and shelling in the west and center of the city, where Israel is believed to have thousands of troops. both the army and rebel groups Islamic Jihad He reported fighting in the area.

Palestinians displaced by Israeli bombing on the Gaza Strip walk under flashlights at a temporary refugee camp in Muwasi on December 31, 2023. (AP Photo/Fatima Shabair)

The Palestinian Red Crescent said in the evening.

They have also been reported Clashes in urban refugee camps in central Gaza Where Israel expanded its attack last week.

“This is our daily routine: bombings, massacres and martyrs,” said Saeed Mustafa, a Palestinian from the Nussirat camp, who said he could hear sporadic explosions and gunfire in his area and the nearby De Burijs and Maghaji camps.

“As we were speaking, a huge explosion occurred just a short distance from my house.“, he said over the phone on Monday morning.

this is what the army said Adel Mismah, a regional commander of Hamas’ elite forces, was killed.An air strike on Nukhba, the central city of Deir al-Balah.

Hamas killed Nukhba, a regional commander of Hamas’ elite force, along with a number of supporters in an airstrike on the central city of Deir al-Balah.

Source link

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button