The Israeli army withdrew all its troops from southern Gaza this Sunday, six months into a devastating war between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group. Negotiations for a truce must now be resumed.
The armed body indicated, however, that a “significant force” will continue to operate in the besieged Palestinian territory to “carry out precise operations based on intelligence.”
Shortly after, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured that Israel was “one step away from victory” in Gaza and insisted that there will be no ceasefire until Hamas releases all the hostages.
“It simply will not happen,” he declared before the council of ministers, at a time when negotiations must resume in Cairo with a view to a truce.
The Israeli army said it had withdrawn its forces from southern Gaza after months of fierce fighting. The clashes destroyed, among others, Khan Younis, the main town in the area and the hometown of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
“Today, Sunday, April 7, the IDF 98th Commando Division [fuerzas de defensa de Israel] concluded its mission in Khan Younis,” the army declared.
Currently, there is only one Israeli brigade left in the Palestinian enclave that is responsible for securing a corridor between southern Israel and the Gaza coast, blocking the passage to the north of the Strip and facilitating operations in the center and north of the territory.
Likewise, the Israeli Army reported this Sunday that, before its withdrawal, its combat units carried out the last operations in the Al Amal neighborhood to finish “dismantling the terrorist infrastructure.”
Return of the displaced
The war began on October 7, when Hamas swept into southern Israel and killed 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to a count based on official Israeli data.
Palestinian fighters also captured 250 people, of whom 129 remain held in Gaza, including 34 believed to have died, according to Israeli authorities.
The air and ground offensive launched by Israel in response left at least 33,175 dead in Gaza, according to the latest balance sheet from the Ministry of Health of the territory, governed by Hamas since 2007.
The conflict also left thousands internally displaced, according to the UN, with most taking refuge in Rafah, on the closed border with Egypt. The UN estimates that around 1.5 million Palestinians are crowded into that town.
Following the Israeli army’s announcement, dozens of Palestinian refugees in Rafah made their way back to Khan Younis on foot, by car or in carts, according to AFP images.
Trucks loaded with humanitarian aid entered Rafah from Egypt this Sunday. Medical supplies also arrived at the Kamal Adwan medical complex in Beit Lahia, in the north of the territory.
New round of negotiations
US President Joe Biden on Thursday demanded an agreement from Netanyahu for a ceasefire and insisted on the need to increase the flow of aid to Gaza.
Biden — whose government is Israel’s main weapons supplier — also suggested for the first time conditioning U.S. aid to Israel on a reduction in civilian deaths and more influx of humanitarian aid.
The talks between the two leaders took place after Israel announced the dismissal of two officials responsible for the deaths of seven humanitarian workers, mostly foreigners, in an attack against an NGO convoy in the Gaza Strip.
Negotiations for a truce are due to resume this Sunday in Cairo. US CIA Director Bill Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Mohamed bin Abdulrahman bin Al Thani will meet Egyptian mediators on Sunday for indirect talks between Israeli and Hamas delegations, according to Egypt’s Al Qahera News .
The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas previously confirmed that its main demands are a complete ceasefire in Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the return of displaced Palestinians.
Netanyahu faces growing domestic pressure to release the hostages. Tens of thousands of people will demonstrate last night to demand his resignation and on Sunday, relatives of hostages gathered in Tel Aviv to demand his release.
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