CNN
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The Israeli military says it has withdrawn ground troops from Khan Yunis in southern Gaza after months of heavy fighting.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Sunday that the 98th Division had “ended its mission” in Khan Yunis. The division had left the Gaza Strip to “recuperate and prepare for future operations.”
The Israel Defense Forces added that “large forces led by the 162nd Division and the Nahal Brigade will continue to operate in the Gaza Strip, preserving the Israel Defense Forces' freedom of action and the ability to conduct accurate intelligence operations.” Ta.
CNN reporters along the border, where troops enter and exit Gaza, have not yet confirmed any large-scale troop withdrawals, but they did see large numbers of tanks withdrawing from Khan Yunis overnight. They are currently stationed on the border between Gaza and Israel.
Israeli brigades typically have around a few thousand troops, but the exact number of Israeli troops who have withdrawn from Gaza remains unclear.
As of January, the 98th Division was specifically reinforced to fight Hamas in Khan Yunis, making it the largest division in military history.
IDF Lt. Gen. Helj Halevi said at a press conference on Sunday that the military is “far from stopping” operations in the Gaza Strip after the withdrawal.
“We will not allow Hamas brigades to remain active in any part of the Gaza Strip. He added that the military's goals in Gaza, including returning to the north and dismantling Hamas across Gaza, have not been fully achieved.
In response to a question about the impact of the army's withdrawal of ground forces from Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, Halevi said: “Hamas' military wing has been deterred and most of its battalions have been disbanded and incapacitated.” The multifunctional military framework is currently operating as a small-scale terrorist organization. ”
Halevi reiterated that the IDF has not left the Gaza Strip and that there are “many troops there at this very moment.”
“This is a long war. We cannot maintain the same troop deployment as before,” he said, adding that “many gains remain to be made on the road to victory.”
It is unclear what the withdrawal means for Israel's plans to invade Rafah, the southernmost part of Gaza, which is a haven for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. Israel said the invasion of Rafah was essential to achieving its goal of removing Hamas from Gaza.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Sunday that the troops were leaving Gaza in preparation for a follow-up mission, including in the Rafah area.
“The troops withdraw and prepare for the next mission. We saw an example of such a mission in action in Shifa. And also in a follow-up mission in the Rafah area.” Gallant said in remarks during a visit to the military's Southern Command headquarters.
“We are reaching a situation where Hamas no longer controls the Gaza Strip and is no longer functioning as a military framework that poses a danger to the Israeli people,” Gallant said, adding that he had completed an assessment of the situation. As IDF Southern Forces retreat from Khan Yunis.
The defense minister added that Israeli forces in Khan Yunis “successfully destroyed enemy targets, warehouses, weapons and underground.” [infrastructure],main office [and] communication room. ”
Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation and CNN affiliate Channel 11 reported on Sunday that the remaining troops would be deployed along the so-called Netzarim Corridor, the route that bisects the Gaza Strip. Named after the former Israeli settlement of Netzarim in Gaza, this corridor intersects with Salaheddin Street, one of Gaza's two main north-south roads, forming a strategic central junction. Masu.
The Israel Defense Forces announced on Sunday that ahead of the withdrawal, special forces had raided and searched more than 100 locations in the al-Amal district of Khan Yunis, where they discovered a long tunnel and “eliminated the terrorists.” CNN cannot independently verify these claims.
White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said on ABC's “The Week” that the move was not a sign of a new operation, but was more likely a “rest and refurbishment.” said.
“They've been on the ground for four months. The word we're getting is they're tired, they need to recalibrate.”
The United States, Israel's main ally, is pressuring the country to do more to protect civilians and accept aid.
In a phone call between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week, Biden told Netanyahu to take steps to address the crisis or face the consequences.
Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images
People walk past damaged and destroyed buildings in Khan Yunis after Israel withdrew ground forces from the area on April 7.
Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images
International pressure on Israel is mounting, with the United States, a close ally, urging it to take further steps to protect civilians.
The IDF began operations against Hamas in northern Gaza shortly after the October 7 attack, which killed around 1,200 people. Early in the war, the Israeli military designated Khan Yunis a safer area and instructed residents of northern Gaza to take shelter there.
However, as the IDF increasingly shifted its focus to the south, the city became a battleground.
On December 1, the Israeli military launched a large-scale air raid on Khan Yunis and distributed leaflets throughout the city asking residents to evacuate immediately.
Since then, heavy fighting has taken place and the area has been devastated. CNN visited the site earlier this year and found buildings either completely destroyed or beyond repair.
The IDF said the city was a Hamas stronghold, adding that a network of tunnels beneath civilian buildings in the city was likely where Hamas planned its October 7 attack. The city is the birthplace of Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas denies hiding in hospitals or other civilian facilities, and CNN cannot independently verify either claim.
This story has been updated with additional developments.
