Latest Military Situation In Gaza Strip; 93rd Day Of Fighting – Israeli Forces Retreats From Northern Gaza

As the IWN reported yesterday that the Israeli regime has been retreating from more areas in the northern Gaza Strip; this issue has been confirmed today following the publication of videos and images of battlefields from northern Gaza. Also, senior member of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas Osama Hamdan emphasized this afternoon (Jan 7) that the Israeli regime has retreated from the northern Gaza Strip.

However, it is necessary to mention that Israeli army forces are present in small parts of western areas of Beit Lahia city and western Al-Tawam Street, but they will probably also retreat soon. Israeli forces entered the northern Gaza Strip during the first days of the war and will now leave those areas in the final stage of their retreat.

In the south of Gaza City, according to available information, the tenth street has been determined as the last line of retreat for the Israeli regime’s army forces. In other words, the Israeli regime’s military forces have retreated from neighborhoods such as Al-Zeitoun, Tel Al-Hawa, Al-Sheikh Ijlin, and so on, to behind the tenth street. It seems that these areas will remain under Israeli occupation until the end of the Israeli regime’s operation in the center of the Gaza Strip.

So, what did the Israeli regime achieve in the northern Gaza Strip?

Yesterday (Jan 6), the spokesperson for the Israeli regime’s army claimed that Israeli armed forces have completed dismantling Hamas’s military structure in the northern Gaza Strip! And that the Israeli regime’s military forces have done so many efforts and that how many commanders and fighters they have killed and how many tunnel networks we have destroyed, etc., and now the focus of the Israeli regime’s army is on operations in the center and south of the Gaza Strip.

However, contrary to the Israeli regime’s claim, the fact is that the Israeli regime did not even come close to achieve its main goal of destroying the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas even for a moment during the Gaza war and its only achievement in the northern Gaza Strip was destruction of buildings and mass murder. It is certain that the Israeli regime will not succeed in achieving its goal in the center and south of the Gaza Strip either.

On the other hand, it is true that so far, international observers have witnessed unprecedented destruction in northern Gaza and some Palestinian resistance commanders and fighters have been martyred, and a network of tunnels has been destroyed, but all of these can be replaced and repaired. Tunnels and buildings will be rebuilt, and forces will be replaced. The very important point is that during these three months, the Israeli regime never managed to take full control of the northern Gaza Strip, and now after the withdrawal of occupying forces from this region, Palestinian fighters are still present in Gaza and have control over the areas.

Read more: Latest Military Situation In The Gaza Strip; 90th Day Of Battles (Map)

In the center of the Gaza Strip, clashes continue in Al-Bureij and Al-Mughazi refugee camps as well as around Al-Nuseirat refugee camp. The Israeli regime’s armed forces have made partial advances in the Juhr al-Dik area. Also, the Israeli regime’s military forces have advanced between Al-Bureij and Al-Mughazi refugee camps and have reached Salah al-Din Road, the main highway that runs through the strip from north to south and connects all of its towns. Given that the Israeli regime’s forces have been dispatched from the northern Gaza Strip to the central and southern axes of the Gaza Strip, ground battles in this axis are truly unequal, and Palestinian resistance fighters face a difficult task of preserving these areas.

In the south of the Gaza Strip, clashes continue in the central neighborhoods of Khan Yunis city, and the Israeli regime’s army is struggling to make progress in this area. The steadfastness and resilience of Palestinian resistance fighters in Khan Yunis are exemplary. According to the latest field information, the Israeli regime’s armed forces have advanced several blocks along Jamal Abdul Naser Street and Osama Al-Najjar Street.

Khan Yunis, like other areas, has witnessed a lot of destruction. After advancing in each area, the Israeli regime’s occupying forces explode and destroy buildings and homes as much as possible. Large parts of eastern Khan Yunis have been completely destroyed so far.

Interactive map of the Gaza Strip