IDF to withdraw forces from some communities near Gaza

The IDF will withdraw its security forces from Israeli communities near Gaza that are not adjacent to the border, the army spokesperson announced Monday.

The move, which will go into effect January 1, was made after an army security evaluation with the understanding that the IDF will prioritize security for Israel’s southern communities in the future if needed.

During and after the 50-day summer war between Israel and Hamas-led fighters, IDF troops were deployed to Israeli communities near the Gaza border that were thought to be targets of infiltration attempts via cross-border tunnels. The towns were also subjected to heavy rocket fire from Gaza.

According to the IDF spokesperson, the decision to withdraw forces was made in cooperation with heads of local councils.

However, some communities are petitioning the Defense Ministry to build a new security fence along the border.

Several regional council heads recently demanded funding from the Defense Ministry to construct a new border fence that they say will provide residents in the communities near the Gaza border with increased security.

“Given the current security situation, it is urgent to build a new fence around the entire Gaza Strip, from the beach to Kerem Shalom,” the councilmen said in a statement, according a report in Haaretz Tuesday.

Last week, the IDF deployed two Iron Dome anti-missile batteries near the southern cities of Netviot and Beersheba in response to the deteriorating security situation along the border, which has broken several months of calm between Israel and Gaza.

On Sunday, three Palestinians were shot after throwing rocks during a protest near the Erez crossing between Israel and Gaza.

Last Friday IDF troops shot at two Palestinian men attempting to cross the border fence into Israel from the northern Gaza Strip, wounding one.

Earlier last week an IDF soldier was seriously wounded when he was hit by a sniper while on patrol near the border. Palestinian sources said that a heavy exchange of fire ensued, with IDF tanks shelling striking a target east of Khan Younis. Jets also fired on Gaza targets, and Palestinians said that the commander of Hamas’s surveillance unit in the area, Tayseer al-Ismary, was killed in the exchange with Israeli troops.

On December 19 IDF warplanes hit targets in Gaza, including a Hamas training ground, following a rocket attack on southern Israel a day earlier. The Kassam rocket fell near an Israeli community in the Eshkol region near the Gaza Strip, causing no casualties or damage.