Published December 21,2023
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An Israeli analyst stated Tel Aviv may scale back the depth of its floor operation in Gaza, the place its offensive for the reason that Oct. 7 Hamas incursion has killed at the very least 20,000 Palestinians.
“The [Israeli] military senses an end is near and is trying to cement its achievements before a cease-fire is declared,” Nahum Barnea wrote in an op-ed for the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper on Wednesday.
He, nevertheless, added that areas in northern Gaza weren’t but cleared by the military, and Palestinian gunmen “occasionally emerge from tunnels and buildings to ambush the [Israeli] soldiers.”
“These could be considered the concluding operations in Gaza. The objective is to reduce the IDF‘s presence in the Strip in the upcoming phase,” Barnea stated.
He famous that within the first half of January many Israeli reservist troopers “are expected to return home, while the military focuses on creating a security buffer approximately one kilometer wide to separate Gaza from adjacent Israeli communities.”
Barnea additionally anticipated one other spherical of hostage-prisoner trade, however stated the battle between Israel and the Palestinian teams “could last for years, perhaps even generations.”
Israel‘s allies are stated to have made clear that they need the full-blown combating within the besieged enclave, which has killed many civilians, to finish as quickly as attainable.
Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden stated Israel risked dropping international help due to “the indiscriminate bombing that takes place” in Gaza.
Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh reached Cairo on Wednesday for talks believed to give attention to a attainable cease-fire and a deal to launch hostages held in Gaza in trade for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Egypt, together with Qatar, helped mediate a weeklong cease-fire in November through which Hamas freed over 100 hostages in trade for Israel’s launch of 240 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas and different teams are nonetheless holding about 129 captives.
Besides the casualties in Gaza, there was widespread destruction of properties and different infrastructure.
Israel says 1,200 folks had been killed within the October assault by Hamas.
Source: www.anews.com.tr