The Israeli army has withdrawn all its ground troops from the south of the Gaza Strip, and has only left one brigade in that area of the enclave, a military spokesperson confirmed this Sunday.
Right now there is only one Israeli brigade left in the Palestinian enclave that is responsible for securing a corridor between southern Israel and the Gaza coast, blocking the passage to the north of the Gaza Strip, facilitating operations in the center and north of the territory, as reported by the Israeli government this Sunday.
Israel withdraws its troops from the southern Gaza Strip
The withdrawal occurs after four months of combat in the Khan Younis area (the largest city in the south) and six months after the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
It also coincides with the beginning of a new round of negotiations in Egypt to try to reach a ceasefire in the enclave, coming after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) recovered the lifeless body of the hostage in Khan Yunis on Saturday. Israeli Elad Katzir, who had been in the hands of Islamic Jihad.
Doctors from the Institute of Forensic Medicine identified the body overnight and authorities informed the family of Katzir, who was kidnapped during the October 7 attacks on Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his mother, released during the seven-day truce. between Israel and Hamas, in November. The two main hospitals of this southern city, Al Amal and Naser, have been devastated and inoperative after the siege by Jewish troops during these months under the thesis that there was the presence of alleged combatants in these complexes.
To the south of Khan Yunis is the city of Rafah (border with Egypt), where hundreds of thousands of displaced people who fled the north to avoid the fighting are currently located.
Although the United States – Israel’s greatest ally – and various UN agencies have warned about the consequences for the civilian population of an offensive in Rafah, the Government led by Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted until today that the assault on the southernmost city It is necessary to end Hamas.
Specifically, Israel has withdrawn its 98th Division from the south of the enclave, which is in charge of the land advance on the southern front of the Strip.
The 98th Division is made up of parachute forces (both standing army and reserves), as well as the Commando Brigade and an elite artillery regiment.
Right now only the Nahal brigade remains operational in the area, with the mission of securing the so-called Netzarim corridor, which crosses Gaza from Kibbutz Beri, in the south of Israel and bordering the enclave, to the Gaza coast, and which Israel employs for its operations in the north and center of the Strip.
The brigade will also act as a buffer to prevent Gazans forcibly displaced to the south from returning to northern Gaza.
An Israeli army officer explained to the Haaretz newspaper: “Our mission was to dismantle Hamas’ Khan Younis Brigade and we achieved it.” “Our second mission was to return the hostages and we did not succeed,” he added.
The official explained that leaving Khan Younis will allow displaced Palestinians to return to their homes after weeks or months sheltering in Rafah. However, he has clarified that the army “will continue to operate there according to its needs.” According to him, the withdrawal has occurred due to the end of all intelligence and combat operations in that area of the enclave, but not in response to the American request not to carry out the offensive on Rafah.
Source: Ambito
