Israel Withdraws Several Brigades From Gaza Strip - Report

In a significant move, the Israeli government has decided to withdraw several thousand troops from the Gaza Strip, with the ferocious assault against Hamas taking a toll on the Israeli economy. According to a report by the New York Times, the U.S. government”s persuasion on Israel to scale down the operation with the death toll and deprivation rising horribly in Gaza also paved the way for the decision.

Reservists from at least two brigades will be called back this week, and three brigades will be taken back for “scheduled” training, the Israeli military said in a statement. According to the report, the exact size of the Brigades who will be sent home has not been known, as the Israeli military does not disclose how many troops it has deployed in Gaza.

“This move is expected to significantly alleviate economic burdens and enable them to gather strength for upcoming activities in the next year,” the military said.

Gaza has been witnessing an unprecedented situation as Israel intensified the attacks, killing more than 20,000 people, most of whom are civilians, and restricting aid workers within the territory. According to the United Nations, half of Gaza’s roughly 2.2 million people are at risk of starvation.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military spokesman, said that demobilizing soldiers didn”t mean compromise as they continued intense fighting until the end of the Hamas, and the fighting across Gaza remained intense. Admiral Hagari, who had been indifferent to the questions about the American intervention, indicated that some troops would be called back to service in 2024.

“Israeli officials may declare a more limited, targeted phase of the war in Gaza, though they have said such a transition would come,” the New York Times reported, quoting military analysts and U.S. officials.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken is expected to return to Israel in early January for further talks on the war following President Biden urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a tense conversation to take a more surgical approach to the war, using special forces to attack the leaders and infrastructure of Hamas, the militant group that has controlled Gaza, the report said.

Moreover, Mr. Blinken and Jake Sullivan, Mr. Biden’s national security adviser, had met with Ron Dermer, a top Netanyahu adviser, at the White House the day after Christmas, discussing different phases of the war to “maximize focus on high-value Hamas targets,” a White House official said.

“The withdrawal is a clear signal that the fight is entering a new phase, in line with what the U.S. has been asking for,” said Lt. Gen. Mark C. Schwartz, a retired U.S. Special Operations commander who formerly served as the American security coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority. “We will see more precision strikes and precision operations against Hamas leadership and Hamas militants going forward.”

“In substantial parts of northern Gaza, we’re ready to advance to the next stage” of the fighting, Yossi Kuperwasser, a retired Israeli brigadier general, said, according to the Newyork Times. “We can dilute our forces there, because we’ve taken control. To hold on, you need fewer than it took to take over.”