We Have No Forces Within Gaza: Israel Troops Withdraw From Gaza For Humanitarian Cease-Fire

We Have No Forces Within Gaza: Israel Troops Withdraw From Gaza For Humanitarian Cease-Fire

"We have no forces within Gaza," Israel Defense Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner told CNN.

The Israeli Military said that they have withdrawn its ground troops from Gaza for a 72 hour humanitarian cease-fire in the conflict with Hamas. They also said that Israel is implementing the Egyptian-brokered truce which took effect Tuesday morning from defensive position.

The Israeli military said that it had destroyed 32 of the tunnels, some of which were used by militants to launch attacks on Israeli soil during the four week conflict. Israeli officials had previously indicated that they were taking down their ground operation in Gaza which was aimed at demolishing Hamas network of tunnels that extends under the border.

With the latest development it remains to be seen if the truce will hold and create room for peace or everything will fall apart. Officials from the United States and United Nations who have all been pushing for a cease-fire for weeks hope that the three day pause from the war attacks will create room for negotiations to take place for a more lasting peace. The conflict has killed more than 1,900 people so far.

The removal of Israeli troops from Gaza is seen as a way of reduction in the risks of renewed clashes however, there might be possible aerial bombings from both sides. According to CNN there were 20 rockets fired from Gaza towards Israel minutes before the cease fire was implemented Tuesday 8 am (1am ET)

It is said that six of them were intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome defense system and at least one was reported to have hit a Palestinian town in the West Bank without causing any injuries.

The rockets were launched by Haman military with the AL-Qassam Brigades saying that they launched as a response to "Israeli's crimes"

The truce has enabled Gaza's 1.8 million residences to go into the street to pick up supplies and also check on their abandoned homes. This conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands of people across the densely populated city.

After the cease fire began most of the residents went back into Shujaya which is a city in Gaza however, most of them are distressed with the situation on seeing everything they once had in shambles and rubbles. They are pessimistic of them ever experiencing peace. Nal Mohammed, a Ph.D. student whose family home was demolished, was pessimistic about the situation.

"Peace? What peace? We have no home, no water, no power," he said. "There is no peace here.

It is clear that the situation is taking a sap on the people and the two sides should end the war as fast as they can. This however, might be easier said than done as the two sides do not trust each other. Israeli's government spokesman Mark Regev said on CNN

"We are entering this with our eyes open," he said. "We have been burnt more than once."

While Haman's spokesman Osama Hamdan also told CNN that as long as Israel honors the agreement so will the Palestinians.  "We hope they can take it and be committed to a cease-fire," he said.

 

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