Israeli army withdrew 1 of 4 divisions from Gaza Strip
Israeli army withdrew one division from the Gaza Strip (photo: Getty Images)
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) withdrew the 36th Division from the Gaza Strip for the purpose of regrouping and providing additional training to personnel, leaving three other divisions in the area of the ground operation, according to the Times of Israel.
It is reported that the withdrawal of the division is part of the IDF's plans for a prolonged war against Hamas while maintaining the troops' combat readiness.
The division's units will be given a brief break, after which they will return to the division for training. The IDF command will then decide whether to redeploy them to the Gaza Strip.
Over the past two months, the 36th Division operated in the northern Gaza Strip, destroying Hamas battalions.
The 162nd Division remains in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, conducting operations to identify Hamas infrastructure. The 99th Division operates in the central part, and the 98th Division fights against Hamas in the Khan Yunis area in the southern Gaza Strip.
Israel-Hamas war
In early October of last year, Hamas militants invaded Israeli territory. In response, Israel initiated an operation against the militants, which includes the ongoing ground offensive by the Israel Defense Forces.
Israel has successfully gained control of the northern part of the Gaza Strip, including the largest city in the Palestinian enclave, Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already stated that his country is on the path to victory in the war.
Yesterday, on January 15, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that Israel plans to conclude the intensive phase of the offensive in the southern part of the Gaza Strip in the near future. He also added that in the southern Gaza Strip, Israeli forces are focused on eliminating the leadership of Hamas.
