2024-01-01 15:19:19
Israel is expected to withdraw part of its troops in Gaza and favor more “focused” operations on Hamas targets, which has already been planned since the start of the war on October 7. But the objective is also to support the Israeli economy, which has faced difficulties since the beginning of the conflict.
Published on: 01/01/2024 – 14:19
3 min
As the war “is dragging on”, some of the reservists must return to civilian life, according to a soldier interviewed by the agency AFPwho preferred not to identify himself.
According to the official, “destroying Hamas” remains the main goal of the offensive in the Palestinian enclave. Some of the five brigades that must leave the territory will be ready in case of war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, he added.
Israeli Army spokesman Daniel Hagari said that the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip will continue into 2024. He told troops on Sunday night (31) that some reservists would take a break from the war to prepare for “prolonged fighting”.
The Army “has to plan in advance because we will be called upon for other missions and battles throughout this year,” he declared. Israeli authorities announced at the start of the war in the Gaza Strip, following the Hamas attacks on October 7, that the offensive would have three main phases.
The first consisted of bombardment to free up access routes for ground forces and encourage the withdrawal of civilians. The second was the land invasion, which began on October 27th. The gradual withdrawal of troops, which will begin soon, is part of the third phase of the offensive.
The decision would also be linked to pressure exerted by the United States, Israel’s main ally, which would be asking for a review of tactics to protect civilians. Israel initially called up 300,000 reservists – around 10 to 15% of the total – to serve in what appears to be the longest conflict in its history. Between 200,000 and 250,000 reservists are mobilized and absent from their jobs or studies.
Return of Jewish settlers
In recent weeks, the Israeli Army has moved to northern Gaza, then to Khan Yunis and, recently, to the fields in the center of the territory, where 1.9 million inhabitants (85% of the population) had to flee their homes. . The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned several times about the risk of spreading infectious diseases and the UN fears a hunger crisis.
In a final assessment, released this Monday (1st), the Gaza Ministry of Health reported that military operations in Gaza have left 21,978 dead and 57,697 injured since the start of the war.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich defended, this Sunday, the return of Jewish settlers to Gaza and the emigration of Gazans to other Arab countries.
“If we act strategically correctly and encourage emigration, if there are 100,000 or 200,000 Arabs in Gaza and not 2 million, the entire discourse after the end of the war will be completely different,” said the minister from the far-right Religious Zionism party.
For Hamas, the proposal consists of forcibly removing “two million Palestinians” out of Gaza. International negotiations carried out by Qatar and Egypt reached a week-long truce at the end of November, allowing the release of 100 hostages and the entry of aid into Gaza. Efforts continue to bring about a new break in the fighting.
A delegation from Hamas – a group classified as terrorist by the European Union, the United States and Israel – arrived in Cairo on Friday (29) to convey “the response of the Palestinian factions” to an Egyptian plan for the release of hostages and a truce. The answer will be given “in the coming days”, said Muhamad al-Hindi, deputy secretary general of Islamic Jihad, an armed group allied with Hamas.
(With information from AFP)
#Israel #withdraw #part #troops #Gaza #support #economy #phase #war