Click to see full-size image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
On February 1, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced that it had withdrawn the 55th Brigade from the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.
Troops of the reserve paratroopers brigade operated in Khan Younis in recent weeks, killing numerous Hamas fighters and locating and demolishing some 70 tunnel shafts, the IDF said, adding that the brigade also located two rocket launching sites used by Hamas to fire projectiles at Israel.
The IDF shares footage from a battle in December between the brigade’s troops and Hamas fighters in Khan Younis, during which a soldier was killed.
The IDF has been withdrawing much of its reservist forces from Gaza in recent weeks, leaving the standing army to continue ground operations there.
Israeli military officials claim that the IDF is releasing reservists to help bounce back Israel’s economy and give them a break before they are likely called up again. However, some observers link the withdrawal to the fierce resistance put on by Hamas and other Palestinian armed factions in Gaza.
Right after the IDF announced the withdrawal of the 55th Brigade, Hamas’ military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, released video footage of recent clashes in Khan Younis.
The video shows Hamas fighters blowing up IDF main battle tanks and bulldozers with rocket-propelled grenades and rigging a rocket launcher with explosives to target Israeli troops. The group alleged that three soldiers were killed by the booby-trap.
While Israeli military officials claim that ground operations in Gaza could go on for a whole year, the withdrawal of an entire brigade from Khan Younis and recent reports of a near deal with Hamas suggest that Israel may be preparing to end the war. With none of the goals set by the IDF achieved, this would be a resounding defeat to Israel
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