Israel's military announced Sunday it was drawing back some troops from a Hamas stronghold in southern Gaza following a major phase of its offensive, bringing troop presence in the territory to one of the lowest levels since the six-month war began.
The forces will recuperate and prepare for future operations while a significant number remain elsewhere in Gaza, said Israeli military officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak to the media. The 98th paratroopers division operated around Khan Younis, Israel's main focus in recent months.
Israel has vowed a ground offensive on the southernmost Gaza city of Rafah, considered Hamas' last stronghold, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday told his Cabinet that victory means "elimination of Hamas in the entire Gaza Strip, including Rafah."
But Rafah shelters some 1.4 million people — more than half of Gaza's population. The prospect of an offensive has raised global alarm, including from top ally the U.S., which has demanded to see a credible plan to protect civilians.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby told ABC the U.S. believes that the partial Israeli withdrawal "is really just about rest and refit for these troops that have been on the ground for four months and not necessarily, that we can tell, indicative of some coming new operation for these troops."
Israel's military quietly drew down troops in devastated northern Gaza earlier in the war.
(AP via Scripps News)
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