Israel Begins Partial Withdrawal from Gaza, but Attacks Continue

The Israeli Armed Forces began withdrawing from areas of Gaza City today as part of a ceasefire agreement, although bombing continued against various targets, the news outlet Walla reported.

According to the source, "airstrikes were clearly observed in several areas of the city during the morning," and machine gun fire was also heard.

A military spokesperson justified these actions with alleged suspicious movements in the area.

Walla detailed that the military began evacuating the Shati refugee camp and the center of the most populous city in the coastal enclave, which has been under fire since October 7, 2023.

However, it clarified that in the current phase of the agreement, the Army will only withdraw to the so-called "yellow line" within the Gaza Strip, where it will occupy "selected checkpoints."

The news outlet indicated that the combat teams of the Givati and Golani brigades have already been evacuated.

For its part, Channel 12 reported that the 188th and 7th brigades have returned to their bases.

Last month, the Army launched a large-scale ground operation against Gaza City, involving three divisions, which caused destruction in numerous neighborhoods and the exodus of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.

The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) is demanding a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Palestinian territory, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reluctant to such a possibility.

The two sides reached a ceasefire in Egypt on Thursday, which will include a prisoner exchange, as a preliminary step toward ending the war, which began two years ago.

However, Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, stated that the movement received guarantees from mediators about ending the conflict, while acknowledging that there are still issues to be discussed.