Israel Will End Land Attacks In Gaza, Preparing To Enter Phase Three War

An Israeli soldier stood near an ambulance in the war in Gaza. (Between/Anadolou)

JAKARTA - Israel is preparing to end military ground operations in the Gaza Strip in the coming weeks as part of the third phase of the war, Israel's official media Public Broadcasting Corporation reported on Friday.

While citing unnamed sources, the media said that "Israeli soldiers are preparing to proceed to the third stage of fighting in the coming weeks, according to operational achievements."

The third stage includes stopping land operations in the Gaza Strip, reducing the number of army troops and withdrawing reserve troops, switching to airstrikes, and setting up buffer zones on the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip, according to the sources.

The report claims that Israeli forces have seized control in much of northern Gaza's territory, but are facing major difficulties in the southern region.

At least 472 Israeli soldiers have been killed since land operations in the Palestinian enclave began on October 27, according to Israeli military data.

News sites Walla and Israel's 12 Channel reported on Thursday that one of their troops in Gaza, known as the Golani Brigade, had lost 44 troops in 70 days of fighting.

The troops left Gaza to carry out internal restructuring and visit their families for several days, the report said.

Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023 have killed more than 20,000 Palestinians, the majority of women and children, and injured 53,320 people, according to local health authorities.

Israel's blind attack also caused destruction in Gaza. Half the residential areas were damaged and destroyed, and nearly 2 million people were forced to flee in the densely populated enclave amid lack of food and clean water.

Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in X on Saturday that Gaza's population was suffering from starvation.