Israel has withdrawn most of its ground troops from Gaza to “recuperate and prepare for future operations” after months of fighting.

Troops have been pulled out of Khan Yunis in the south, leaving just one battalion on the ground in the war-torn region.

Hours after the withdrawal, five rockets were fired from the Khan Younis area at Israeli communities near the Gaza border.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said on Sunday that its “98th commando division has concluded its mission in Khan Yunis” but that “a significant force ... continues to operate in the Gaza Strip, and will preserve the IDF’s freedom of action and its ability to conduct precise intelligence based operations”.

With the majority of Hamas’s battalions now dismantled, the IDF withdrawal suggests a change in tactics, with Israel turning to intelligence over manpower, and targeted operations instead of a permanent presence.

The IDF says more than 12,000 Hamas terrorists have been killed since the offensive began, including dozens of key commanders, but the war has taken its toll on Israeli forces.

More than 600 Israeli soldiers have been killed since Oct 7, almost half during the ground operation in Gaza. 

The Nahal brigade is now the only Israeli brigade left in Gaza, securing the area in the north known as the Netzarim Corridor which crosses Gaza from southern Israel to the Gaza coastline.

Troops will be able to continue raids in northern and central Gaza and the corridor acts as a pathway for humanitarian organisations to deliver aid into northern Gaza, a key issue now plaguing Israel’s relations with allies such as the US as the humanitarian crisis deepens.

So far, IDF sources say 18 of the 24 Hamas battalions have been severely dismantled with what was once a mighty army now reduced to a disbanded guerrilla force. 

However, four untouched battalions remain in Rafah which has become a contentious point for Israel. As it pursues its goal of dismantling Hamas in its entirety, Rafah remains a stumbling block, with US and international pressure standing in Israel’s way.

The US, which opposes the invasion of Rafah, is threatening to add conditions to its military support, as the death toll in Gaza tops 32,000 and the United Nations warns of the onset of famine.

However, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, remains firm in his stance that no victory can come without the invasion of Rafah and the dismantling of the final four battalions.

On Sunday, John Kirby, a US National Security Council spokesman, said the withdrawal appears to be a “rest and refit” and not necessarily indicative of any new operations. 

Speaking to ABC, he said: “As we understand it, and through their public announcements, it is really just about rest and refit for these troops ... and not necessarily that we can tell indicative of some coming new operation for these troops.”

One million displaced to Rafah

Rafah, in Gaza’s south, hosts around one million of the Strip’s displaced citizens, raising questions as to where they would go even if evacuated. Egypt, along with the US, has stood firmly against Israel’s plans to invade, fearing that it would drive refugees across its border.

Tackling the final Hamas stronghold would also require the call-up of new reserves, 300,000 of whom have been enlisted since Oct 7, when Hamas killed more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took at least 250 hostages.

Israel is also on high alert following its alleged strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus last Monday, which killed top-ranking Islamic Revolutionary Guard personnel. It led to direct threats from Tehran which have prompted Israel to move military personnel significantly.

Forces on Israel’s northern front have been beefed-up, as a lower-profile war with Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah takes up resources, in addition to the six-month war in Gaza.

Meanwhile, on Israel’s southern coast, the Iran-backed maritime blockade by Houthis has also seen missiles cross into Israeli territory, leading to extra forces being dispatched to the southernmost front.