The Israeli military is withdrawing some of its troops from the Gaza Strip, where it is at war with the Palestinian armed faction Hamas.
According to Bloomberg News, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Reuters Jinyu, etc. on the 1st (local time), the Israeli military announced that the five brigades that had been deployed to the Gaza Strip would be withdrawn.
Specifically, two reserve brigades will be withdrawn this week, and the remaining three brigades, which were in charge of training, will move out of the Gaza Strip and perform peacetime duties.
The decision to withdraw is interpreted as the result of the Israeli military taking control of the northern part of the Gaza Strip, which has weakened Hamas’s power, including significantly reducing the frequency of Hamas’ rocket launches.
This measure also aims to alleviate the economic burden caused by the call-up of large-scale reserve forces and the prolongation of the war.
The Israeli military previously called up 300,000 reserve forces after the start of the war, with the aim of helping the economy recover by gradually returning them to industrial sites.
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari also explained on the same day that the demobilization was a measure for the economy, saying, “The economy can function properly only when reservists return to their daily lives.”
However, fierce fighting is still taking place in the southern Gaza Strip, where the Hamas leadership is said to be hiding, and the actual war is expected to last for several months.
“(The withdrawal) will take at least six months and will involve a tough elimination mission against terrorists,” an Israeli official told Reuters.
Spokesperson Hagari also emphasized, “We are preparing for a long-term war that could take place throughout this year.”
Some analysts say that the Israeli military was unable to withstand pressure from the United States and ordered its withdrawal.
The United States has been demanding that Israel shift to more precise and targeted military operations and low-intensity operations to reduce the casualties of more than 20,000 civilians in Gaza.
The low-intensity operation that the United States is requesting from Israel refers to a ‘surgical’ type operation, such as deploying a small number of elite units to eliminate Hamas leaders and rescue hostages, rather than mobilizing large-scale troops or airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.
Regarding the decision to withdraw, a U.S. official told Reuters, “It appears that the gradual transition to low-intensity operations in northern Gaza that the U.S. has been encouraging has begun.”
In fact, U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken is also scheduled to visit Israel on the 5th to discuss issues of post-war governance of the Gaza Strip.
However, there are voices opposing this in Israel.
Danny Danon, a prominent member of Israel’s ruling Likud party, said, “Israel is losing the gains it gained from the war due to pressure from the United States,” and argued, “Giving in to the United States will not advance goals such as the release of hostages or the defeat of Hamas.”
Meanwhile, Reuters, citing an anonymous Israeli official, reported that the Israeli military plans to deploy some of its withdrawn troops to northern Israel to keep Hezbollah in check.
“The confrontation on the Lebanese front will not be allowed to continue,” the official said, emphasizing that “the next six months are a critical time.”
After the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas, Hezbollah has been bombing the Israeli border area. As the Israeli army began to counterattack, tens of thousands of civilians were evacuated from both sides.
As concerns about an escalation of war grow, the United States dispatches White House Senior Advisor Amos Hochstein to Lebanon as a special envoy to put pressure on Hezbollah, and Israel is also sending a strong warning, saying, “Do not make this mistake.”
Meanwhile, the United States announced on this day that it would withdraw the Gerald Gun, a nuclear-powered aircraft gun deployed near Israel to keep Hezbollah and Iran in check.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.