Israel said on Monday (Jan 1) that five of its armed units will leave the Gaza Strip this week, which is an effort to prepare for a long-term confrontation against the Hamas militants in order to reduce economic damage. The reservists are also included.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that the 828th Brigade, 261st Brigade, and 460th Brigade, all comprised of active duty troops, will resume their routine training assignments.
The 551st Brigade and 14th Brigade, both made up of reservists, will be allowed to return home and resume their regular duties.
However, the announcement doesn’t indicate any scaling down in the ongoing war as a top official also warned that he expected the fighting to continue throughout the year.
A US official said that Israel’s decision signals the start of a shift to lower-intensity operations in the north of the Palestinian enclave, although there was still fighting going on there.
The news agency Reuters reported residents as saying that Israel pulled tanks out of some Gaza City districts on Monday. Still, fighting raged elsewhere in the Palestinian enclave along with intense bombardment.
The White House said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with national security officials on Monday by secure phone about the latest developments in the Middle East.
The official said, “This appears to be the start of the gradual shift to lower-intensity operations in the north that we have been encouraging.”
The official also noted that the change reflected the success of the Israeli military in dismantling Hamas’ military capabilities there.
Watch: Gravitas | Children are the silent victims of a world at war
The official told Reuters that fighting continued in the north, however, and the revised Israeli tactics did not “reflect any changes in the south”.
The White House said that Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Israel’s objectives and the phasing of its military operations in Gaza on Dec. 23, while underscoring the need to protect civilians and secure the release of hostages being held by the Hamas Islamist militant group.
USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier returning home
In another major development, the Navy announced on Monday that the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group will be heading home after months of extra duty at sea protecting Israel.
