From the Liveblog of
Thursday, February 1, 2024
IDF pulls 55th Brigade from Gaza, amid scaling back of reserve forces
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The IDF has withdrawn the 55th Brigade from the Gaza Strip and it has been replaced with other forces in the Khan Younis area, the military says.
Troops of the reserve paratroopers brigade operated in Khan Younis in recent weeks, killing numerous Hamas operatives and locating and demolishing some 70 tunnel shafts, the IDF says.
The IDF says the brigade also located two rocket launching sites used by Hamas to fire projectiles at Israel.
The IDF shares footage from a battle in December between the brigade’s troops and Hamas gunmen in the Khan Younis area, during which a soldier, Sgt. Major (res.) Gideon Ilani, was killed.
The IDF has been withdrawing much of its reservist forces from the Gaza Strip in recent weeks, leaving the standing army to continue the fighting against Hamas.
Military officials say the IDF aims to release reservists to help bounce back Israel’s economy and give them a break before they are likely called up again, as the fighting in Gaza is expected to last all year, and there are fears of an escalation in the north amid daily attacks by Hezbollah.
The Times of Israel Community.