Israeli Defense Ministry sources told IANS that the withdrawal was for a ground offensive in the Rafah area.
Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Galant, widely considered a hawk, met on Sunday with senior officers of the IDF's 98th Division to discuss the Rafah operation.
Israel's allies, including the US and other Western powers, had previously asked Israel not to enter the ground offensive in the Rafah area because it would cause major civilian casualties.
Gaza's Rafah area is densely populated and home to an estimated 1.3 million people. Egypt's President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, expressed his concerns over a possible Rafah operation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinkey during a visit to Egypt in March.
Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Galant, widely considered a hawk, met on Sunday with senior officers of the IDF's 98th Division to discuss the Rafah operation.
Israel's allies, including the US and other Western powers, had previously asked Israel not to enter the ground offensive in the Rafah area because it would cause major civilian casualties.
Gaza's Rafah area is densely populated and home to an estimated 1.3 million people. Egypt's President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, expressed his concerns over a possible Rafah operation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinkey during a visit to Egypt in March.
