https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-01-21/ty-article/.premium/israeli-army-left-in-limbo-amid-netanyahu-governments-mixed-signals-on-gaza-cease-fire/00000194-8803-dee1-aff7-eb5f0a690000
Israeli Army Left in Limbo Amid Netanyahu Government's Mixed Signals on Gaza Cease-fire - Israel News - Haaretz.com
Israeli Army Left in Limbo Amid Netanyahu Government's Mixed Signals on Gaza Cease-fire - Israel News - Haaretz.com
Yaniv Kubovich Jan 21, 2025
Israel's political leadership is not being consistent in its statements regarding fulfilling the cease-fire agreement in Gaza, and as a result, the IDF cannot yet downsize the reservist forces that have been called up for another round of duty, either in Gaza, or in the West Bank.
Defense officials say that, in addition to the mixed messages coming from Israeli leaders, Hamas is also contributing to the uncertainty by making it difficult for Israel to carry out various stages of the deal.
Therefore, the army is preparing for an immediate return to combat if need be. At the same time, the IDF is making some changes in the deployment of its troops in Gaza, in accordance with the terms of the agreement. The forces that remain there have stopped blowing up buildings, conducting raids and attacks, and are instead focused mainly on preparing for defensive combat.
Upon the start of the cease-fire, the IDF divided the Gaza Strip into three sections, each one overseen by a different military division. Division 162, which completed its operations in Jabalya and Beit Hanoun, is responsible for the area between the north of the Strip and the northern part of the Netzarim corridor.
Credit: Copernicus Sentinel, EO Browser
The division's infantry brigades, Givati and Nahal, have left the Gaza Strip after 15 months of combat. The Nahal Brigade has lost 67 of its soldiers and commanders since the beginning of the war on October 7, 2023, and in the past weeks spearheaded the difficult combat in Beit Hanoun in the northern Strip. It is scheduled to be deployed in the northern West Bank ahead of possible significant military activity in the area.
The division forces that remain in Gaza, primarily made up of two armored brigades (mainly composed of tanks), are spread out along the border, in the agreed-upon buffer zone, where they are also supposed to remain at the end of the second phase of the agreement.
Israel's political leadership is not being consistent in its statements regarding fulfilling the cease-fire agreement in Gaza, and as a result, the IDF cannot yet downsize the reservist forces that have been called up for another round of duty, either in Gaza, or in the West Bank.
Defense officials say that, in addition to the mixed messages coming from Israeli leaders, Hamas is also contributing to the uncertainty by making it difficult for Israel to carry out various stages of the deal.
Therefore, the army is preparing for an immediate return to combat if need be. At the same time, the IDF is making some changes in the deployment of its troops in Gaza, in accordance with the terms of the agreement. The forces that remain there have stopped blowing up buildings, conducting raids and attacks, and are instead focused mainly on preparing for defensive combat.
Upon the start of the cease-fire, the IDF divided the Gaza Strip into three sections, each one overseen by a different military division. Division 162, which completed its operations in Jabalya and Beit Hanoun, is responsible for the area between the north of the Strip and the northern part of the Netzarim corridor.
Credit: Copernicus Sentinel, EO Browser
The division's infantry brigades, Givati and Nahal, have left the Gaza Strip after 15 months of combat. The Nahal Brigade has lost 67 of its soldiers and commanders since the beginning of the war on October 7, 2023, and in the past weeks spearheaded the difficult combat in Beit Hanoun in the northern Strip. It is scheduled to be deployed in the northern West Bank ahead of possible significant military activity in the area.
The division forces that remain in Gaza, primarily made up of two armored brigades (mainly composed of tanks), are spread out along the border, in the agreed-upon buffer zone, where they are also supposed to remain at the end of the second phase of the agreement.
Nahal troops leaving Gaza on Tuesday.Credit: IDF Spokesperson
In the buffer zone, heavy machinery is already establishing the necessary infrastructure but, in accordance with the cease-fire agreement, the forces are not demolishing any buildings.
The armored brigades are defending the zone with tanks and infantry forces to prevent any efforts by Hamas to entrench itself near the border fence and to bar the passage of Gaza civilians in these areas.
Division 99 is responsible for overseeing the second area, the Netzarim corridor. Under the cease-fire agreement, the IDF will be obligated to withdraw from this area at later stages of the deal.
Meanwhile, two armored brigades are operating there. During the war, the forces would leave the corridor to conduct attacks and raids throughout the Strip, but currently there is no attempt to expand the corridor or to demolish buildings in adjacent neighborhoods.
Entrance to the Netzarim Corridor last September.Credit: David Bachar
The Gaza Division has been put in charge of the southern section of the Gaza Strip. Its forces include a reservist brigade, an armored brigade and an armored battalion that remain there to defend the Philadelphi route that straddles the border with Egypt, from which Israel will be required to withdraw at a later stage of the deal.
Despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's publicly stating that the army will not withdraw from the Philadelphi route, the army has not received any instructions that differ from the terms of the cease-fire deal.
In the buffer zone, heavy machinery is already establishing the necessary infrastructure but, in accordance with the cease-fire agreement, the forces are not demolishing any buildings.
The armored brigades are defending the zone with tanks and infantry forces to prevent any efforts by Hamas to entrench itself near the border fence and to bar the passage of Gaza civilians in these areas.
Division 99 is responsible for overseeing the second area, the Netzarim corridor. Under the cease-fire agreement, the IDF will be obligated to withdraw from this area at later stages of the deal.
Meanwhile, two armored brigades are operating there. During the war, the forces would leave the corridor to conduct attacks and raids throughout the Strip, but currently there is no attempt to expand the corridor or to demolish buildings in adjacent neighborhoods.
Entrance to the Netzarim Corridor last September.Credit: David Bachar
The Gaza Division has been put in charge of the southern section of the Gaza Strip. Its forces include a reservist brigade, an armored brigade and an armored battalion that remain there to defend the Philadelphi route that straddles the border with Egypt, from which Israel will be required to withdraw at a later stage of the deal.
Despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's publicly stating that the army will not withdraw from the Philadelphi route, the army has not received any instructions that differ from the terms of the cease-fire deal.
Therefore, the army is preparing to withdraw from the corridor in keeping with the terms of the deal, and says that the forces and infrastructure that was built there could be removed right away, but any order to withdraw from the corridor must be made by the political leadership.
In addition to the forces deployed in Gaza, the army still has troops in Lebanon that are due to leave the country at the end of next week, according to the cease-fire agreement there. A substantial portion of the IDF forces has already withdrawn from Lebanese territory.
IDF forces in southern Lebanon last week.Credit: Naama Grynbaum
The forces that remain there are primarily composed of two reservists brigades that are currently holding the territory until it is transferred to the Lebanese Army. Their main purpose right now is to operate in places where Hezbollah violates the agreement. The brigades are defending the Israeli border, and some of the forces are operating in territory that is under Israeli sovereignty according to the international borderline.
A paratroop brigade and an armored brigade are currently operating in the buffer zone in Syria, which Israel invaded in December with the fall of Bashar Assad. It has yet to be determined whether significant reinforcements are needed there, with the general assumption being that it will be possible to stabilize the situation in the area via diplomatic means and international mediators.