What's happened
Israeli troops have withdrawn from the southern Gaza Strip, including Khan Younis, as part of a strategic redeployment, raising questions about future military operations in the region.
Why it matters
The withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Gaza marks a significant development in the ongoing conflict with Hamas, potentially paving the way for diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire and reduce hostilities in the region.
What the papers say
The New York Times reports on the Israeli military's withdrawal from southern Gaza, highlighting the potential implications for future operations. In contrast, Al Jazeera provides conflicting reports on the scale and duration of the disengagement, suggesting a new strategy may be at play.
How we got here
The withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Gaza follows months of conflict with Hamas and comes amid international pressure to de-escalate the situation. The move raises questions about Israel's future military strategy in the region and the potential impact on civilians in Gaza.
Common question
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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The Gaza Strip, or simply Gaza, is a self-governing Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, that borders Egypt on the southwest for 11 kilometers and Israel on the east and north along a 51 km border.
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Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist militant organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
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Rafah is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. It is the district capital of the Rafah Governorate, located 30 kilometers south of Gaza City. Rafah's population of 152,950 is overwhelmingly made up of former Palestinian refugees.
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Benjamin Netanyahu is an Israeli politician serving as Prime Minister of Israel since 2009, and previously from 1996 to 1999. Netanyahu is also the Chairman of the Likud – National Liberal Movement.
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Yoav Galant is an Israeli politician and former commander of the Southern Command in the Israel Defense Forces. In January 2015, he entered politics, joining the new Kulanu party.