Israel withdraws from several areas of Gaza 

While escalating the aerial and artillery bombardment of various areas of the Gaza Strip, Israeli occupation forces have withdrawn their tanks from other areas of Gaza City, eyewitnesses reported yesterday.

Palestinian accounts reported significant withdrawals of occupation forces from several areas in northwest Gaza, such as Al-Nasr and Al-Maqousi neighbourhoods, the Rantissi Hospital area, northern Al-Shati camp, and the vicinity of the General Security directorate.

Israeli media reported that the army continues to withdraw from northern Gaza, confirming that additional forces will be demobilised in the coming days.

It added that the 98th Division is leading 7 brigades in the Khan Yunis area, south of the Gaza Strip, with the aim of locating prisoners of war and liquidating the leadership of Hamas.

The occupation also shelled the city of Rafah, a designated ‘safe zone’ to which Israel has told Palestinians to move to, from warships positioned along Gaza’s shore. While air and artillery bombardment targeted the centre, east and north of Khan Yunis.

According to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Health in Gaza, 21,978 Palestinians have been killed since 7 October and 56,697 others have been injured. It is estimated that nearly 10,000 are trapped beneath the rubble, either dead or unable to escape.

READ: Israel soldier kills Gazan he was ‘guarding’