Israeli tanks and aircraft intensified their attacks overnight in southern Gaza following the announcement of a troop withdrawal in the north of the enclave.
The war in Gaza, which has devastated a significant portion of the region, claimed the lives of thousands, and plunged its 2.3 million inhabitants into a humanitarian catastrophe, continues for months, according to Israel.
An Israeli official said on Monday that the military would draw down forces in Gaza this month and shift to months of localized mopping-up operations.
The troop reduction would also free up units in the event of a broader conflict in the north with Hezbollah and would enable some reservists to return to civilian life, thereby bolstering Israel’s war-ravaged economy, the official continued.
As international calls for a ceasefire increase and the death toll rises, the United States has been advocating for Israel to decrease the severity of its military operation.
However, according to locals, Israeli aircraft and tanks increased their barrage against the northern and eastern regions of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
The USS Gerald R. Ford was making her way back to Virginia after being to deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean, as signs of a slowdown in northern Gaza began to emerge.
Artillery fire between Hezbollah and Israel has rattled the border since the Gaza conflict began. On Monday, Israel’s military claimed to have carried out an air strike.
On October 7, a Hamas attack on Israeli towns reportedly claimed the lives of 1,200 Israelis, sparking the Gaza War. In Hamas-controlled Gaza, Palestinian health authorities report that the Israeli offensive has claimed the lives of over 21,978 Palestinians.