Israel pulls out almost all ground troops from southern Gaza
The Israeli military has withdrawn most ground troops from southern Gaza exactly six months after the start of its most recent offensive last October.
One brigade was left in Khan Younis tasked with securing the “Netzarim corridor” that divides the Gaza Strip, according to local reports.
The military has been reducing numbers in the strip since the start of the year to relieve reservists while under growing pressure from its ally Washington to improve the humanitarian situation.
It was unclear whether the withdrawal would delay a long-threatened incursion into the southern city of Rafah, which Netanyahu says is needed to eliminate Hamas.
Rafah has become the last refuge for more than a million Palestinians sheltering in the territory near the border with Egypt. The UN has warned an assault on the city would lead to a “slaughter”.
Israel had planned a ground invasion of the southern city of Rafah, claiming it is a hive of Hamas’s remaining strongholds. More than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million population are taking refuge in the city.
Following the withdrawal of the troops, Israeli government spokesperson Avi Hyman, said Mr Netanyahu would “absolutely” go ahead with a ground invasion of Rafah. “If we don’t go ahead with Rafah, we lose the war,” he added.
The White House claimed the withdrawal was likely so troops could “rest and refit” rather than a move towards a new operation.
“They’ve been on the ground for four months, the word we’re getting is they’re tired, they need to be refit,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told ABC news.
But a senior Israeli government source told Sky News the withdrawal was likely linked to ongoing negotiations with Hamas over Israel hostages with Mr Netanyahu “desperate” for a deal.
On Saturday, Hamas said it would attend ceasefire talks in Cairo, Egypt, on Sunday, in response to an invitation by Egyptian mediators.
US CIA Director Bill Burns also arrived in Cairo on Saturday evening to attend Sunday’s talks. Qatari foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and an Israeli delegation were expected to take part in the talks as well, Egypt’s Al Qahera news reported.
It comes as pressure has been mounting on the UK government to suspend arms sales to Israel after seven aid workers were killed by the Israeli military.
Deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden told Sky News Israel had made “big mistakes” during the conflict and the UK was holding them to a “very high standard”.
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