Israel withdrew its tanks from parts of Gaza City on Monday. This is part of a previously announced plan to meet changing military needs in Gaza and protect Israel's economy.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are expected to continue operations in Gaza for several months, focusing on “clearing out” Hamas militants rather than a full-scale invasion. Reuters reported.
The October 7 Hamas attack detonated a months-long war between Israel and the terrorist organization, resulting in an Israeli invasion, more than 20,000 deaths, and a humanitarian crisis for the territory's remaining population.
The scale of the destruction in Gaza has sparked a U.S. backlash against Israel and its supporters, often confused with or based on anti-Semitism, and highlighted political rifts within the Democratic Party. .
Israel itself entered the war deeply divided, amid corruption allegations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a series of judicial reforms he has proposed that his supporters see as a threat to democracy.
Key parts of that reform plan were rejected by Israel's Supreme Court on Monday, at least temporarily returning attention to the country's deeply divided politics.
The partial withdrawal comes as Israel's economy has taken a hit and it has lost 300,000 civilian workers, who at one time were reservists mobilized to fight in Gaza.
Some reports suggest that approximately 200,000 reservists are currently absent from civilian roles.
And the withdrawal coincides with the return of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Group, after the U.S. Navy's newest and largest aircraft carrier was deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean as the war between Israel and Hamas escalates.
The decline in strength indicates some of the IDF's goals against Hamas have been achieved, but Netanyahu's government has repeatedly said it will not stop until the complete destruction of the terrorist organization, which has ruled Gaza since 2007. .
The downsizing could also lead Israel to send more troops to its northern border, where Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah and the Israel Defense Forces have regularly exchanged fire since the start of the Gaza war. .
In Gaza, where civilian infrastructure has been reduced to rubble in many places, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), tasked with annihilating Hamas, and armed groups are carrying out guerilla-style operations against the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), leading to violence. The behavior is expected to continue.
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
