Israel army retreats to ‘relatively safer points’ in Gaza City

Israeli military vehicles have retreated over the past 48 hours, while maintaining their presence in the northern Gaza Strip, in an apparent attempt to reposition themselves into “relatively safe points”, Anadolu news agency reported.

Quoting eyewitnesses, the agency’s correspondent said the Israeli forces have retreated to a distance of more than three kilometres towards the west from the Al-Sabra neighbourhood and the western outskirts of the Al-Zaytoun neighbourhood all the way to Al-Shifa Medical Complex.

The Israeli forces have also retreated from the western-southern areas in the Tal Al-Hawa and Al-Remal neighbourhoods, all the way to Al-Rashid Street on the shore of Gaza Sea, according to eyewitnesses and local sources.

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In the northern Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation forces maintained their positions in open areas of the towns of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia.

They maintained their positions in the town of Jabalia, after reaching the vicinity of the Indonesian Hospital.

The Israeli retreat came hours before a truce-for-hostage agreement was reached with Palestinian factions in Gaza.

The points are considered “relatively safe” for the Israeli forces, because they have been there since 27 October, after carrying out extensive combing and bombing operations.