It appears that Israel will withdraw some of its ground troops in Gaza this week, the Israeli army said in a press statement on Monday . This may mark the beginning of a new phase in the war.
Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the Israeli army, emphasizes that the decision does not change Israel’s intention to continue fighting Hamas, The New York Times reports . The violence in Gaza appears to be continuing in full force for the time being.
It is not known how many soldiers will withdraw from Gaza. The New York Times talks about a few thousand troops being brought back at least temporarily: five brigades, two of which are reservists. A brigade can consist of four thousand troops. The army has not announced how many total Israeli troops there are in Gaza.
The reservists would have to go back to work upon their return to Israel, as the economic consequences of three months of war are being felt. The Israeli central bank also decided to lower interest rates on Monday to support the economy.
Other returning troops should prepare for a possible new front on the border with Lebanon, where Israel is in conflict with the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah.
Possible new phase in war
Israeli officials have long been talking about the multiple phases in which the war in Gaza will be waged. The first consisted of heavy airstrikes, and the second phase began when Israeli ground forces invaded the Gaza Strip on October 27. According to Israeli officials, the violence in a new phase would be less massive and more targeted.
The United States had urged Israel to use less force in the Gaza Strip to limit civilian deaths. It is still unclear whether Israel will respond to that call by withdrawing some of its troops.
At least 21,000 Gazans have now died in the war in the past three months, Hamas’ health ministry reports. Israel has indicated several times that the war in Gaza could continue for a long time.
