Troop withdrawal ‘reflects Israel’s complex dilemmas’
The withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Gaza could reflect that Israel is facing severe challenges and a complex dilemma under immense internal and external pressures, especially with the mounting risks of conflict with Iran following the military’s deadly attack on Iranian embassy compound in Syria, according to Chinese observers.
Israeli troops were withdrawn from southern Gaza in preparation for a possible operation in the city of Rafah, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed on Sunday, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The sudden withdrawal action is widely believed to be in response to potential retaliation from Iran following the deadly attack on its embassy compound in Syria by the Israeli military on the April 1. This round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict, already lasting more than six months, has not only plunged the Gaza Strip into a severe humanitarian crisis, but also severely impacted the Israeli economy, leading to a sharp deterioration in the business environment and a surge in government spending, observers pointed out.
Despite the Israeli military stating that the withdrawal aims to prepare for following missions, the timing and context of Israel’s withdrawal are evidently delicate and complex, Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Monday.
Recent major events surrounding the conflict and its spillover include the UN Security Council’s adoption of a cease-fire resolution for Gaza, large-scale protests in Israel with tens of thousands of participants, Israel’s attack of the Iranian embassy compound escalating the risk of conflict, Israeli forces killing several international aid workers, and the escalation of conflicts between Hezbollah and Israel in Lebanon, Liu said. “Therefore, Israel’s withdrawal in this context reflects the severe challenges and complex dilemma it faces under immense internal and external pressures. Even though the possibility of Israel launching military operations in southern Gaza in the future cannot be ruled out, its deepening predicament is hard to conceal.”
Israel’s withdrawal from southern Gaza coinciding with preparations to confront Iran is not coincidental. The withdrawal was originally a gradual process but has now accelerated, likely due to the worsening regional situation over recent days. This large-scale withdrawal is mainly in response to possible retaliatory actions from Iran, a military expert, who requested not to be named, told the Global Times on Monday.
The Sunday withdrawal of troops from Southern Gaza also took place following what media called the worst week since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 for Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.