Israel has withdrawn all ground troops apart from one brigade from southern Gaza, a
MILITARY spokesman has said as the world marked six months of war since the 7 October attack by Hamas. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it had withdrawn troops from the area overnight, with only the Nahal brigade remaining in southern
Gaza , tasked with securing the “Netzarim Corridor”. The corridor was built this year by Israel from east to west right across the Strip, dividing it in two. An
Israeli brigade is typically made up of a few thousand troops. The military did not immediately provide further details. It was unclear whether the withdrawal would affect a long-threatened invasion of the southern city of Rafah , where nearly half of the 2.3 million population of Gaza is seeking shelter. Israel leaders have repeatedly said invading Rafah is necessary to destroy Hamas . The reported withdrawal of troops comes four months after the Israeli military went into the south of Gaza, with operations focused on the city of Khan Younis, claimed to be the southern headquarters of Hamas. It also follows a reportedly tense phone call last week between the US President,
Joe Biden , and the Israeli Prime Minister,
Benjamin Netanyahu, during which the President warned Israel that
American support for its war was conditional on it taking “immediate action” to protect civilians, including “specific, concrete, and measurable” steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering and the safety of aid workers. Read Next Minister refuses to say if Israel has broken international law in Gaza The US has also repeatedly warned Israel against a threatened ground invasion of Rafah. Today marks exactly six months since Hamas launched its brutal raids in southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and dragging an estimated 253 hostages back into Gaza. Since then, the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says 33,175
Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Strip. In Israel, hundreds of thousands of
protesters have attended demonstrations marking the milestone, many demanding the Prime Minister’s resignation and the immediate return of the hostages. This story is being updated