The military said a 'significant force' will keep operating elsewhere in the besieged Palestinian territory, able 'to conduct precise intelligence based operations', with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing there would be no let-up in fighting until Hamas releases all hostages.
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES - Israel pulled its ground forces out of the southern Gaza Strip Sunday, media reports said, in a partial withdrawal six months into the devastating war sparked by the October 7 attacks.
The army said it withdrew its forces from southern Gaza after months of fighting there left in ruins the city of Khan Yunis, hometown of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Netanyahu had long threatened a ground offensive on far-southern Gaza's Rafah city, sparking global concern, including from Israel's top ally the United States.
Israel has faced a storm of international outrage over the killing of seven aid workers of the US-based food charity World Central Kitchen in a Gaza air strike on April 1.A Palestinian father-of-six in northern Gaza, Muhammad Yunis, 51, told AFP the territory's 2.4 million people desperately need a reprieve from the bombardment and suffering.
UNICEF chief Catherine Russell pointed out that more than 13,000 children were reportedly among those killed. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,175 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
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