https://wsj.com/world/middle-east/israel-under-pressure-to-scale…
Israel withdrew thousands of troops from Gaza following pressure from the U.S. to transition to a more surgical phase of its war against Hamas, a move that has sparked concerns among some Israeli officials that the pullout could leave the country vulnerable to another surge in militant activity.
The withdrawal of the 36th Brigade provides Israel with more bandwidth to deploy forces to other flashpoints, such as unrest in the West Bank, that have emerged since the start of Israel’s invasion of Gaza. In drawing down its forces in the strip, however, Israel risks undermining its strategic goal of eradicating Hamas, exposing the country to renewed attacks.
Those concerns were underscored earlier this week when rockets were fired from central Gaza, according to the Institute for the Study of War, the area where the 36th division had previously been stationed.
Giora Eiland, a retired Israeli general, said Israel’s shifting tactics will enable more civilians, and militants along with them, to trickle back into northern Gaza. “We paid a very high price for something that is going to have no meaning in a short time,” he said.
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