<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>The Israeli military has withdrawn all ground troops from the southern Gaza Strip except for one brigade, a military spokesman said today.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The military did not immediately provide further details.</div><div><br></div><div>It was unclear whether the withdrawal would delay a long-threatened incursion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which Israeli leaders have said is needed to eliminate Hamas.</div><div><br></div><div>The withdrawal comes as Egypt prepares to host a new round of talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire and hostage release deal.</div><div><br></div><div>Israel’s offensive in Gaza, launched after the attack by Hamas on Israel six months ago on Oct 7, has focused in the past months on the south of the Palestinian enclave.</div><div><br></div><div>Rafah has become the last refuge for more than a million Palestinians sheltering in the territory near the border with Egypt.</div><div><br></div><div>More than 250 hostages were seized and some 1,200 people killed during the Oct 7 attack, according to Israeli tallies.</div><div><br></div><div>More than 33,100 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive, according to the health ministry in Gaza.</div><div><br></div><div>An Israeli brigade is typically made up of a few thousand troops. - Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>