Israel is withdrawing some troops from Gaza but preparing for an intense campaign to continue there for “six months at least” as well as expanding preparations for a Lebanon war, a senior official has said.

There is growing international pressure to curb an offensive that has so far killed nearly 22,000 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women and children. Even Israel’s staunchest ally, the US, which rejects calls for a ceasefire, has started pushing the government to scale back the ferocity of its attacks.

 

Plans to send some reservists home from Gaza, confirmed on New Year’s Eve, mark the start of a new stage in the war, a senior official told Reuters, and may be presented as a partial response to those demands.

But Israel still expects heavy fighting in Gaza for much of 2024 as it hunts for senior Hamas leaders, even if there are fewer troops on the ground.

“This will take six months at least, and involve intense mopping-up missions against the terrorists. No one is talking about doves of peace being flown from Shejaiya,” the official said, referring to a Gaza district that has been the scene of heavy battles. Reuters did not identify him by name.

Not all of those returned from Gaza will go home. Some would be prepared for rotation to the northern border with Lebanon, amid fears of a wider escalation of the conflict, the official told Reuters.

“The situation on the Lebanese front will not be allowed to continue. This coming six-month period is a critical moment,” the official said, adding that Israel would convey a similar message to a US envoy conducting shuttle missions to Beirut.

Even as tensions appeared to be escalating, the US said the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier strike group, sent to the region in the aftermath of the 7 October attacks to deter actors such as Iran from entering the conflict, would return home.

 

FULL STORY

24 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

There is growing international pressure to curb an offensive that has so far killed nearly 22,000 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women and children. Even Israel’s staunchest ally, the US, which rejects calls for a ceasefire, has started pushing the government to scale back the ferocity of its attacks.

Their staunchest ally says they are bombing indiscriminately

2 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Their staunchest ally says they are bombing indiscriminately

Do you have anything that supports your claim? 

 

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

Their staunchest ally says they are bombing indiscriminately

Why do you find that amusing? The war is only shifting down a gear in norther Gaza, its just mopping up there now.

 

Israel steps up strikes in south Gaza overnight, residents say

Israeli aircraft and tanks stepped up strikes in southern Gaza overnight, residents say, after it announced plans to pull back some troops, a move the US said signaled a gradual shift to lower intensity operations in the north of the enclave.

Israel says the war in Gaza has many more months to go but would be shifting into a lower gear in the northern part of the Strip after three months of all-out war.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/israel-steps-up-strikes-in-south-gaza-overnight-residents-say/

They maybe withdrawing troops but the fight goes on:

 

Hamas regional commander killed in Israeli air strike, says IDF

Adil Mismah, a regional commander of Hamas’s elite Nukhba forces, was killed on Monday by an Israeli air strike on the central city of Deir al-Balah, the IDF said. His killing came as Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said that Israel's war in Gaza will continue throughout 2024, insisting that tens of thousands of reservists would be needed for the fighting. 

https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20240101-🔴-live-israel-begins-new-year-under-rocket-attack-as-army-pounds-gaza

 

IDF troops continue operating in Gaza:

🔺ELIMINATED: Adil Mismah, the Nukhba Company Commander of Deir al-Balah who took part in Hamas’ October 7 invasion and massacre and attack on other communities surrounding Gaza.

🔺In Shejaiya, troops struck Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror targets used for conducting warfare and located large amounts of weapons. 

🔺IDF troops destroyed a launch post and eliminated a terrorist cell that attacked our forces with mortar shells.

🔺IDF troops identified and eliminated a terrorist launching rockets in Khan Yunis.

🔺Overnight, IDF naval troops struck Hamas terror targets and continued to support IDF ground troops in Gaza.

 

 

This is good news! The terrorists are being confined to a smaller and smaller area, and can be hunted down and eliminated over time. Meanwhile in the north, the destruction of the vast network of terror tunnels can continue apace. 

15 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Israel is withdrawing some troops from Gaza but preparing for an intense campaign to continue there for “six months at least” as well as expanding preparations for a Lebanon war, a senior official has said.

That should just about destroy israel's economy, which is already in trouble- way to go israel!

https://themedialine.org/top-stories/severely-battered-war-political-crisis-take-toll-on-israels-economy/

The cost of the war so far is estimated by experts at approximately $30 billion. The staggering cost, which could very easily rise, especially if another front in northern Israel develops, leads to the question of how the government will fund the war effort.

“The cost of the fighting will be a substantial burden on the Israeli economy, resulting in a decrease in the quality of living of Israelis,” Bental told The Media Line.

 

#eliminatehamas

 

Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri killed in Beirut blast

An Israeli spokesman said Saleh al-Arouri had died in a "surgical strike against the Hamas leadership".

Lebanese media report that Arouri, a deputy political leader of Hamas, was killed in a drone strike in southern Beirut along with six others - two Hamas military commanders and four other members.

He was a key figure in the Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, and a close ally of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader. He had been in Lebanon acting as a connection between his group and Hezbollah.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67866346

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

That should just about destroy israel's economy, which is already in trouble- way to go israel!

https://themedialine.org/top-stories/severely-battered-war-political-crisis-take-toll-on-israels-economy/

The cost of the war so far is estimated by experts at approximately $30 billion. The staggering cost, which could very easily rise, especially if another front in northern Israel develops, leads to the question of how the government will fund the war effort.

“The cost of the fighting will be a substantial burden on the Israeli economy, resulting in a decrease in the quality of living of Israelis,” Bental told The Media Line.

 

 

@thaibeachlovers

 

War Costs Money, Poster Discovers.

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

That should just about destroy israel's economy, which is already in trouble- way to go israel!

https://themedialine.org/top-stories/severely-battered-war-political-crisis-take-toll-on-israels-economy/

The cost of the war so far is estimated by experts at approximately $30 billion. The staggering cost, which could very easily rise, especially if another front in northern Israel develops, leads to the question of how the government will fund the war effort.

“The cost of the fighting will be a substantial burden on the Israeli economy, resulting in a decrease in the quality of living of Israelis,” Bental told The Media Line.

 

 

@thaibeachlovers

 

Here's something for you (and others) to mull, while waffling about 'economy', 'money', 'quality of life' and 'fund the war effort':

 

Children of senior Hamas officials live the good life far from Gaza

https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/s19yh3cwa

Apparently Israel knew about a potential attack by Hamas but ignored it.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/30/world/middleeast/israel-hamas-attack-intelligence.html#:~:text=Israel Knew Hamas's Attack Plan More Than a Year Ago,out the attack in detail.

Withdrawing some troops for breaks does not mean the kill count of terrorists stops!

 

Troops have killed ‘many’ Hamas operatives in close-quarters combat, IDF says

The IDF releases footage of troops of the Givati Brigade battling Hamas gunmen in the Khan Younis area.

Givati troops have killed “many” Hamas operatives in close-quarters combat as well as located dozens of tunnel shafts, the IDF says.

The video released by the IDF shows Givati soldiers clashing with Hamas gunmen in Bani Suheila, on the outskirts of Khan Younis.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/troops-have-killed-many-hamas-operatives-in-close-quarters-combat-idf-says/

13 hours ago, bannork said:

Apparently Israel knew about a potential attack by Hamas but ignored it.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/30/world/middleeast/israel-hamas-attack-intelligence.html#:~:text=Israel Knew Hamas's Attack Plan More Than a Year Ago,out the attack in detail.

Yes, there were several news items about it a while ago, so not a new thing.

If it's true, IMO netanyahu is really in for it once the conflict is over and he has to face the public without the protection of being a "war time PM". Even more so if, as seems likely, many hostages will die in the israeli bombing.