The IDF has withdrawn the 36th Division from Gaza for an R&R and training period, leaving three other divisions fighting Hamas in the Strip.
The withdrawal of the division
comes as part of the IDF's plans for a long war against Hamas, while maintaining the troops' competence.
The division's units
will be given a short break, then will return for a training period, after which the IDF will decide if and where to redeploy them according to its latest assessments.
Over the past two months, the 36th Division operated in northern Gaza, dismantling Hamas's battalions.
The 162nd Division remains in northern Gaza, carrying out clean-up operations to locate Hamas's infrastructure and kill or capture its remaining operatives; the 99th Division is operating in the central part of the Strip; and the 98th Division is fighting Hamas in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza.
Comment: This comes on the heels of an
announcement of a withdrawal of thousands of troops on January 1st.
Notably, it also comes 6 days after
comments by a representative of Hamas that Israel has failed to achieve its objectives in Northern Gaza:
"The occupying forces have been forced to leave the northern Gaza Strip due to the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and courage of resistance groups," Senior Hamas Representative in Lebanon Osama Hamdan said on Wednesday, two days after the Israeli regime announced that it would scale down its operations in northern Gaza.
"The Zionist enemy has totally failed to achieve its goals in Gaza", and its captives will not be released unless conditions set by the resistance front are met, Hamdan said, in reference to Israel's stated goal of releasing its captives and annihilating Hamas when the regime unleashed its war on Gaza on October 7 in response to Al-Aqsa Storm Operation by the Palestinian resistance movement.
He said that the Israeli regime has blatantly violated international law and committed all crimes against the people of Gaza.
"Even children were not spared, and they also destroyed hospitals and schools using all kinds of banned weapons sent from the US", Hamdan said, adding that the US is complicit in Israeli crimes against the people of Gaza, as Washington is providing assistance to the Tel Aviv regime.
The Hamas official also said that Gazans are struggling to survive as they face catastrophic conditions.
"Anybody surviving bombardments will lose their lives because of hunger and disease."
Meanwhile, just following the US attack on Yemen (that it allegedly warned the Houthis about prior to) it's now deploying
more troops to its bases in Iraq and Syria, which have come under increased fire:
New Jersey soldiers prepare for deployment to Syria and Iraq
Lt. Col. Omar Minott is among 1,500 New Jersey Army National Guard soldiers deploying to Iraq and Syria. This is his fifth deployment to the Middle East, he said.
His deployment is part of Operation Inherent Resolve, a military campaign to defeat ISIS.
"We have the people we need, we have the training that we need, we have the equipment that we need to fight and win," Minott said.
Ahead of the deployment, military families watched as New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and other officials honored the soldiers from the 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at a special ceremony Sunday in Trenton.
"By doing your part to support Operation Inherent Resolve, you are protecting peace and prosperity not only for our state, not only for our country but for the entire free world," Murphy said.
Minott said he's ready for the dangers ahead, but being away from his family for 10 months won't be easy.
"With a two-parent household, having me leave is a challenge with our four kids," Minott said. "But my wife is, she's pretty strong."
The wife of another soldier said it will be tough to have her husband leave, but she's relying on friends and family for support.
"Daddy's being deployed to Iraq," Danielle Pruser, who has an 11-month-old daughter, said. "This is his second deployment, so we'll be excited when he comes back."
The soldiers will first head to Fort Bliss, Texas, for training before going to the Middle East. Family members said they're praying for their loved ones' safe return.
In the meantime, families plan to keep in touch by writing letters and talking on Skype.
"It's a little different now than when I first came in, when you had to stand in line for the one phone and wait to get connected," Minott said.
See also:
Korybko: Why the US tipped off the Houthis before last week's strikes on Yemen
Syria, and as thieves should pay the full price for thievery. Iraq wants you Americans out like a bad sexual disease, they cannot get rid of you nicely, Americans are like a bad smell, well that’s what most of the world thinks! And when Americans realise what they did in Iran, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan to name but a few….. they commit suicide! They cannot live with the shame.