Israel moving thousands of troops out of Gaza, but expects “prolonged fighting” with Hamas

Tel Aviv — Israel’s army has begun transferring hundreds of troops out of the Gaza Strip, however officers stress that the Israel Protection Forces are set to proceed waging a protracted conflict in opposition to the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The announcement of a redeployment got here after Israel’s prime minister said he saw the conflict continuing nicely into the brand new yr.

Hundreds of Israeli troopers have been being shifted out of Gaza, nonetheless, army spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari advised reporters on Monday, within the first vital drawdown for the reason that conflict was sparked by Hamas’ unprecedented Oct. 7 terror assault on southern Israel. In a press release, the IDF stated 5 brigades, or a number of thousand troops, can be moved out of Gaza over the approaching weeks for coaching and relaxation.

In a briefing Sunday when he first introduced the troop withdrawal, with out specifying what number of forces have been leaving, Hagari didn’t say whether or not the choice meant Israel was launching a brand new part of the conflict. 

Israel has vowed to crush Hamas’ army and governing capabilities in Gaza, a small Palestinian territory which the group — lengthy designated a terror group by Israel and the U.S. — has dominated for nearly 20 years.

Hamas’ assault on Israel left about 1,200 folks useless and noticed the militants take some 240 folks hostage.

The troop motion may point out a scaling again of Israel’s conflict effort in some components of densely populated Gaza, more than likely within the northern half of the enclave the place the IDF targeted the preliminary part of its offensive. 

Israel, a detailed U.S. ally within the coronary heart of the tumultuous Center East, has been below mounting strain from the Biden administration to modify to lower-intensity preventing amid escalating demise toll experiences from Gaza, the place Hamas officers say greater than 20,000 folks have been killed.

However Hagari made it clear that Israel’s conflict with Hamas was not but over.

“The aims of the conflict require extended preventing, and we’re making ready accordingly,” he stated.

Neither is it over for Hamas, and because the clock struck midnight native time, it was sirens that rang within the new yr throughout Israel on Monday morning.

Hamas fired a barrage of rockets, lighting up the sky for revelers in Tel Aviv as Israel’s Iron Dome missile protection system intercepted most of them. No accidents have been reported.

In Gaza, there was no blissful new yr. Hundreds of Palestinians have spent weeks crammed into tents within the southern metropolis of Rafah, huddling shut to remain heat. Many within the camps misplaced a mom, father, husband, spouse, brother, sister, youngster or grandchild in 2023, they usually worry the brand new yr will solely convey extra of the identical.

“My tragedy lives inside me,” stated Kamal al-Zeinaty, one of many many displaced. “The surface world doesn’t really feel it in any respect. Allow them to have their celebrations and go away me to dwell in tragedy.”

Ian Lee

Ian Lee is a CBS Information correspondent based mostly in London, the place he experiences for CBS Information, CBS Newspath and CBS Information Streaming Community. Lee, who joined CBS Information in March 2019, is a multi-award-winning journalist, whose work protecting main worldwide tales has earned him a few of journalism’s prime honors, together with an Emmy, Peabody and the Investigative Reporters and Editors’ Tom Renner award.