Recently, half a year into the Gaza war, the news of the "large-scale" withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces from the war zone was reported, and this move immediately aroused widespread attention from world public opinion.
But what is the truth? Today, we will unveil the mystery of this "large-scale" withdrawal of troops.
First of all, we have to be clear that this so-called "large-scale" withdrawal is actually not that "large-scale".
In fact, the process of a truly large-scale withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza was carried out gradually between the beginning of January and February of this year.
In particular, in early February, the Israeli army began to withdraw part of its forces from the Khan Younis area in southern Gaza.
After the outbreak of the current round of the Gaza war, Israel mobilized troops at the level of "national warfare", and the size of active and reserve troops swelled rapidly.
However, as the war progressed, the Israeli army realized that the Lebanese Allah forces on the northern front were only engaged in the war, so they turned their main forces to Gaza.
On the battlefield in Gaza, the Israeli army has invested a large number of troops, including active and reserve forces, and even teaching and training units.
However, despite the fact that the Israeli army has invested so many troops, the course of the battle has been seriously delayed, the active forces have suffered serious losses, and the reserve forces cannot be used for a long time.
Thus, from the beginning of January, the Israeli army began to release its forces from northern Gaza and began the demobilization of reserve forces.
By early February, the Israeli army in Gaza had been significantly reduced.
The so-called "large-scale" withdrawal was actually mainly the withdrawal of some troops from Khan Younis in the south.
However, it is worth noting that this withdrawal did not remove too many troops, but more of a political gesture.
So why this political posturing?
It is reported that shortly before the withdrawal, US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clashed seriously during a phone call.
Biden warned Netanyahu that he must change the way he fights in Gaza or risk reconsidering his support for Israel.
Therefore, some analysts believe that Israel's withdrawal may be a temporary adjustment due to the change in the attitude of the United States.
However, this withdrawal does not mean that the security situation in Gaza will improve.
On the contrary, although the number of Israeli troops remaining in Gaza has decreased, they have changed their strategy from "iron wall encirclement" to "cage tactics".
Under this tactic, the Israeli army usually retreats into a turtle's shell to avoid being hit, and at the same time, it can mobilize troops at any time to carry out a clean-up operation.
This is undoubtedly an even more severe test for the people of Gaza.
Overall, Israel's "large-scale" withdrawal is not a full-scale withdrawal in the true sense of the word, but a strategic adjustment in response to the war situation and domestic and foreign pressures.
The war in Gaza is far from over, and the hard struggle has only just begun.
And we, as bystanders, should also keep a clear head and see clearly the truth and essence of this war.