NBC News: Israel Withdrawing ‘Thousands’ of Troops From Gaza

Chris Menahan

Israel is pulling multiple units out of Gaza likely amounting to “thousands of troops” as Palestinian fighters are reporting huge victories on the battlefield.

From NBC News, “Israel withdrawing some units from Gaza”:

TEL AVIV — Israel says five of its military brigades, including many reservists, will be withdrawing from the Gaza Strip this week in an effort to pace itself for an expected long-term conflict and to mitigate damage to Israel’s economy.

The Israel Defense Forces said the 828th Brigade, 261st Brigade and 460th Brigade, composed of active duty troops, will all return to their normal training missions. The 551st Brigade and 14th Brigade, comprising reservists, will be allowed to go home and resume their normal jobs, the IDF said.

Yet the military took pains to signal that the withdrawal of those brigades did not mean an end to active, intensive combat in Gaza or any reduction in Israel’s mission there. Israel has been under intense global pressure to scale back the war but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a national address over the weekend that the war would continue for “many more months.”

“The goals of the war require prolonged fighting and we are preparing accordingly,” IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari told reporters.

Hagari said allowing reservists to come home would “allow considerable relief for the economy and allow them to gather strength for the next activities in the coming year, and the fighting will continue and we will still need them.”

All told, the number likely amounts to thousands of troops leaving Gaza at least temporarily. Israel hasn’t disclosed how many troops are fighting in the Gaza Strip.

I wonder if this has anything to do with it?

[TRANSLATED] Scenes showing IOF soldiers screaming and with serious injuries inside a house they were barricaded in during a battle with the resistance fighters (in Beit Hanoun) https://t.co/9YZxLv5HkN pic.twitter.com/PEMOkZJlqx

— deeeeeee (@revolutionaryem) January 1, 2024

MUST WATCH: Al-Qassam (Hamas) published a new video showing its forces clash with IOF soldiers & crush militants vehicles, in the Al-Tuffah and Al-Daraj neighborhoods in Gaza City.

Truly amazing scenes pic.twitter.com/dqsfBFfAqf

— Arya – آریا 🇮🇷 (@AryJeay) January 1, 2024

During the past 48 hours, the Al-Qassam announced to have (partially) destroyed 26 military vehicles penetrating the same neighbourhoods in this video (Al-Daraj & Al-Tuffah neighborhoods).

— Arya – آریا 🇮🇷 (@AryJeay) January 1, 2024

Soroka Hospital in the Negev:

We received 24 israeli soldiers/officers who were injured during the battles in Gaza today. https://t.co/5rbEyK02IW

— Arya – آریا 🇮🇷 (@AryJeay) January 1, 2024

WATCH: Al-Qassam (Hamas) published a new video showing its fighters clash with military vehicles and soldiers in the Bureij camp, using Yassin-105s. pic.twitter.com/DrIy1pMT0W

— Arya – آریا 🇮🇷 (@AryJeay) December 31, 2023

WATCH: Al-Qassam (Hamas) published a new video showing its fighters clash with militants vehicles in the areas of near Khan Yunis.

THEY DID IT AGAIN, with another point-blank sticky bomb to a Merkava tank pic.twitter.com/Nn9nZK9Onb

— Arya – آریا 🇮🇷 (@AryJeay) December 30, 2023

WATCH: Hamas published a brand new video showing scenes of targeting IOF soldiers & targeting military vehicles penetrating into the Al-Tuffah and Al-Daraj neighborhoods in Gaza City. pic.twitter.com/TRkClp7nbB

— Arya – آریا 🇮🇷 (@AryJeay) December 29, 2023