Palestinian families return to their homes, passing through the rubble of buildings destroyed by the occupation army after the withdrawal of Israeli forces from parts of Khan Yunis (Anatolia)
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby suggested that the Israeli occupation army’s announcement of withdrawal from the southern Gaza Strip was “just a rest and renewal of its forces.”
Kirby told the American ABC channel on Sunday: “According to what we understand, and based on what they announced, it is in fact a period of rest and a restoration of fitness for the Israeli army forces who have been on the ground for 4 months.”
But the American official clarified that the Israeli withdrawal is not “necessarily” an indication of an imminent new operation by these forces.”
He said: "As we understand the matter and through their announcements, it is only about providing comfort and renewal for these forces and we are not saying that it necessarily indicates some new operations coming for these forces."
Earlier today, Sunday, the occupation army and Israeli media announced, “Israel has withdrawn all its forces from the southern Gaza Strip, including Khan Yunis,” after months of violent battles with the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), which led to widespread destruction in the region.
The Israeli occupation army said that a "large force" would continue to operate in the rest of the besieged Palestinian Strip. Haaretz newspaper quoted an occupation army official as saying: “There is no need for us to remain in the Gaza Strip without an operational need.”
He added: "The 98th Division dismantled brigades in Khan Yunis and killed thousands of its activists. We did everything we could there."
In an analysis of the Israeli position, the military and strategic expert, Colonel Hatem Karim Al-Falahi, told Al Jazeera that the occupation attributed its withdrawal from Khan Yunis to preparing for the Battle of Rafah, indicating that it wants to withdraw these military sectors to restore their combat readiness for the coming period and use them elsewhere.
Al-Falahi believes that the withdrawal process gives the occupation an opportunity to move civilians and displaced persons from the city of Rafah to Khan Yunis, reaching the road that separates the northern sector from the center and south.
Among the reasons for the withdrawal - according to Al-Falahi - is the occupation’s failure to achieve its goals of destroying the Hamas movement and its military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, and recovering prisoners detained in Gaza.
Source: Agencies