Israel's military has reduced its number of soldiers from southern Gaza, leaving just one brigade in the area. The military stressed that a "significant force" would remain in Gaza, and the pull-out is being interpreted as tactical rather than a sign the war may be moving closer to its end. Israel and Hamas have both sent delegations to Cairo to join fresh ceasefire negotiations. It is six months since Hamas attacked southern Israeli border communities on 7 October, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. Israel says that of 130 hostages still in Gaza, at least 34 are dead. More than 33,000 Gazans have been killed in Israel's offensive in Gaza since then, the majority of them civilians. Gaza is on the brink of famine, with 300,000 people trapped in the north living on an average of 245 calories a day since January.
Israel has long warned of a planned ground offensive in the southern city of Rafah, where more than a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. Some of the displaced expressed hope that they would soon be able to return to what remains of their homes. International pressure for a ceasefire is mounting, and the US, Israel's closest and most powerful ally, warned earlier this week that its ongoing support for the Gaza war is dependent on "specific, concrete steps" to boost aid and prevent civilian deaths.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was "one step away from victory" but insisted there would be no ceasefire without the release of Israeli hostages. The achievements of the war are considerable: we have eliminated 19 of Hamas's 24 battalions, including senior commanders." Tens of thousands of Israelis rallied against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, demanding a deal to free the hostages held in Gaza.
