Israel has said its operations against Hamas in southern Gaza will soon enter a less intensive phase.
Yoav Gallant, the Israeli Defence Minister, said that intense operations would soon be winding down in the southern cities of Khan Younis and Rafah.
“We made it clear that the intensive manoeuvring stage would last for approximately three months,” Mr Gallant told a news conference, adding that stage was already being reached in the northern Gaza Strip.
“In southern Gaza we will reach this achievement and it will end soon, and in both places, the moment will come when we will move to the next phase,” he said, without specifying a time frame.
Israel’s army confirmed that one of its four divisions operating in the territory completed its withdrawal on Monday.
However, Israeli officials, including Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend, have repeatedly warned the fighting in Gaza will go on for months.
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