Israel and Gaza have seen a surge in violence in recent weeks, with Israeli air strikes targeting Hamas in the strip and Islamic militants retaliating with rocket attacks. Now, in a surprise move, the Israeli government has announced it will withdraw some of its troops from the area.
The announcement was made on Sunday morning, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying a “significant” number of troops will be withdrawn from Gaza, but he warned that fighting could continue into 2024.
The withdrawal is part of a plan to de-escalate the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. The plan also includes a revisiting of the Israeli-unilateral cease-fire agreement from 2014.
The plan calls for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from certain areas of Gaza, with a focus on areas that have seen a decrease in violence over the past two weeks. It is not yet clear how many troops are to be withdrawn.
The move comes after a week of heavy fighting in the Gaza strip, which left at least 11 Palestinians dead and more than 70 injured. It also follows weeks of increasing tensions between the two sides, with some of the most intense fighting since the 2014 Israeli-Hamas war.
Despite the withdrawal, Netanyahu warned that “fighting in Gaza could continue through 2024.” He said the government is focusing on “long-term security objectives,” like stopping Hamas from re-arming and preventing the group from launching rockets at Israel.
The announcement was met with a cautious reaction from Hamas, which accused Israel of using the withdrawal as a “cover” for continued military operations. The group said it would only accept a full end to the Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip, and a return to the 2014 cease-fire agreement.
For its part, the Israeli government has said it will not negotiate with Hamas, and only agrees to diplomatic efforts with Egypt, which it considers a more neutral party.
The withdrawal of Israeli troops is a first step towards de-escalating the conflict between Israel and Gaza, but both parties are wary of each other’s intentions and it remains to be seen whether it will actually help. In the meantime, the Israeli government warns that fighting could continue through 2024, indicating that a full-blown ceasefire is still a long ways off.
