1berita.com – Israel has decided to withdraw thousands of its troops from Gaza. They faced pressure from their main ally, the United States. According to IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari, the United States wants Israel to transition to a situation of low-intensity warfare. This approach aims to minimize the potential civilian casualties in the future.
“The goal of war requires prolonged battles, and we are preparing for it,” said Daniel Hagari, as quoted from Al Jazeera on Tuesday, January 2, 2024.
There are five brigades that Israel will withdraw. They will be taken out of Gaza for training and rest.
As reported by the Palestine Chronicle, these five brigades consist of the reserve brigades 551 and 114, along with three training brigades. With most of the military objectives achieved in the northern and central areas of the Gaza Strip, according to Yedioth Ahronoth.
Despite this, the battle in the southern city of Khan Younis continues. Israel has pledged not to stop until its goal of destroying the Hamas group is achieved.
Former IDF Brigadier General Shlomo Brom stated that this marks the beginning of a different operational mode. While unnamed Israeli officials mentioned that the war between Israel and Hamas could last approximately six months.
“It will take at least six months and involve intensive clearing missions against terrorists. No one is talking about peace doves flying from Shujayea,” the official told Reuters, referring to the Gaza district devastated by the conflict.
As known, Israel has successfully killed 22,000 Palestinian civilians since October 7, 2023. Palestinian residents hope that the war will come to an end in 2024.
“We hope the war will end, and we can return to our homes and live in peace,” said a 33-year-old man from Khan Yunis, the focal point of the conflict in southern Gaza, as quoted by detiknews from AFP.
