Israel increases strikes in Gaza after announcement of troop cutback

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Israeli forces stepped up strikes in southern Gaza on Tuesday after announcing plans to pull back some troops, killing and wounding dozens of Palestinians in the enclave as the war nears its fourth month.

In the occupied West Bank, four Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces amid an increase in violence and arrests since the Gaza war began on October 7.

Residents in Gaza told media that Israeli planes and tanks struck Khan Younis in the south of the enclave on Tuesday morning.

“Israeli air strikes struck fiercely in the central and eastern areas of Khan Younis, with artillery shelling hitting the northern neighbourhoods of the city, resulting in civilian casualties, including children and women,” reported Palestinian agency Wafa.

“Nine civilians lost their lives, and dozens were injured in Khan Younis due to Israeli air strikes,” it added.

In central Gaza, about 15 civilians, mostly women and children, were killed and others injured on Monday night in an Israeli air strike on a house in the city of Deir Al Balah.

Recent strikes come after an Israeli official said that forces inside Gaza would be reduced this month and shifted to a months-long phase of more “mopping up” operations after almost 90 days of relentless fighting.

Residents of Sheikh Radwan district in Gaza city, in the northern part of the enclave, said tanks had withdrawn after what they described as the most intense ten days of warfare since the conflict began.

Tanks also pulled out of Al Mina district and parts of Tel Al Hawa while retaining some positions in the suburb controlling the enclave’s main coastal road.

Washington has been urging Israel to reduce the intensity of its military operation amid international calls for a ceasefire.

According to local health authorities, more than 21,900 Palestinians have been killed, including 9,200 children and 6,600 women, since the war began.