The Israel Defense Forces have withdrawn nearly all their troops from southern Gaza, marking a significant de-escalation in the ground operations that have persisted for four consecutive months in Khan Younis and come six months after the conflict began.

The remaining force, the Nahal infantry brigade, is stationed to guard the Netzarim Corridor, which extends from the Be’eri region in southern Israel to the Mediterranean coast. It is strategic for controlling movements within Gaza, facilitating humanitarian aid entry into the northern part of the Strip, and preventing the return of Gazans to the north.

On Saturday, four IDF commandos were killed in Khan Younis, where terrorists ambushed the soldiers from a tunnel. These deaths increase the IDF’s total fatalities to 604 since the conflict began, with 260 of those occurring since the Gaza ground operation started on October 27.

The IDF also reported on Saturday the destruction of three Hamas attack tunnels in the Khan Younis area, which had extended into Israeli territory and been under surveillance for years.

Over the weekend, IDF commando soldiers rescued the body of Elad Katzir, 47, who was taken hostage by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7. Shin Bet intelligence guided the operation to rescue his body in Khan Younis.