Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Most Israeli soldiers have withdrawn from southern Gaza following the departure of an army division from Khan Younis, Israeli media reported on Sunday morning as truce talks resumed in Cairo.
The 98th division – composed of three brigades – left the southern city of Khan Younis on Saturday night, army radio reported, leaving only the Nahal brigade operating in the war-torn enclave where more than 33,100 Palestinians have died in Israeli attacks.
Nahal troops will remain in Gaza to prevent Palestinians displaced to southern Gaza from returning to their homes in the north, according to local media reports.
There was no official confirmation from the army, nor any additional details immediately available.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told ABC News on Sunday that the US believes Israel’s partial withdrawal “is really just about rest and refit for these troops that have been on the ground for four months".
He said as far as the US could tell, it was necessarily "indicative of some coming new operation for these troops.”
Khan Younis has been the site of intense Israeli activity for months, including multiple raids on hospitals which killed patients, medical staff and volunteers at Al Amal and Nasser Hospitals.
The army said the months-long attack on Khan Younis "achieved what it set out to do," the Times of Israel reported, and seeks to emulate "intelligence-based" operations, which is how it described the recent raid on Al Shifa.
The two-week raid on Al Shifa completely destroyed Gaza's largest hospital and killed hundreds of people, according to Gaza authorities.
Sunday marks six months since the war began, sparked by a Hamas attack on southern Israel in which some 1,200 people were killed and around 240 taken to Gaza as hostages.
Israel's brutal response has killed 33,175 Palestinians as of Sunday, the majority said to be women and children, destroyed most of Gaza's basic infrastructure, and left millions of people facing imminent famine, according to the UN.
Another 75,886 have been wounded and thousands of others are still missing, presumed dead.
Israel called up more than 300,000 reservists as it invaded Gaza in late October, but began recalling reservist units from the enclave in January.
All reservist units left Gaza by late February, leaving only regular army forces fighting in the strip.
Shin Bet intelligence units have also been deployed to Gaza and participated in Israeli raids on Al Shifa, the army confirmed last week.
Israeli military divisions generally number between 10,000 and 16,000 soldiers, although they can number up to 20,000, while brigades are anywhere from 4,000-6,000 strong, comprising four to six battalions.
Israel has rotated soldiers in and out of combat since the ground invasion, pausing operations for some units to rest or train. The government has been under pressure to minimise the number of reservists sent to fight, amid mounting economic challenges.
The troop withdrawal could mean a ground operation in Rafah, a city where well over one million Palestinians are seeking shelter, is less likely, especially if the remaining brigade in southern Gaza will be tasked with controlling the movement of civilians, as was specified in the announcement.
The US, EU and regional countries have all warned that an Israeli attack on Rafah would greatly worsen the humanitarian crisis.
In January, Israel moved a large number of soldiers out of Gaza, but they were eventually replaced, although the overall number of soldiers committed to the war dropped.
Army spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said at the time the troop rotation was to ensure forces "can be refreshed, the Israeli economy can function, families who are waiting for their loved ones can return to their routines".
Some observers say another reason for drawdowns is the build-up of forces on Israel’s border with Lebanon, amid Israeli warnings that it is preparing for full-scale war with Hezbollah.
It also comes amid mounting tensions with Iran following a suspected Israeli attack on Tehran's embassy compound in Damascus which killed several top Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders last week.
The army cancelled leave for combat troops following the attack.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
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- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
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- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 0
Manchester City 2
Bernardo Silva 54', Sane 66'
MATCH INFO
BRIGHTON 0
MANCHESTER UNITED 3
McTominay 44'
Mata 73'
Pogba 80'
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
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- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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Aston Villa 3 (Grealish 4', Hourihane 15', Mings 48')
Man of the match: Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)
JAPANESE GRAND PRIX INFO
Schedule (All times UAE)
First practice: Friday, 5-6.30am
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Qualifying: Saturday, 10-11am
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Race venue: Suzuka International Racing Course
Circuit Length: 5.807km
Number of Laps: 53
Watch live: beIN Sports HD
What can victims do?
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Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
THE SPECS
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Tank warfare
Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks.
“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.
“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
THURSDAY'S FIXTURES
4pm Maratha Arabians v Northern Warriors
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8.30pm Delhi Bulls v Bangla Tigers
