January 1, 2024 Israel-Hamas war

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) expects warfare in Gaza to last “throughout” this year as it begins to reduce the number of soldiers in the territory and prepares for a new phase of the conflict, a military spokesman has said.

The 551st and 14th brigades – comprised of reservists – will return to their families and civilian lives this week, the IDF said in a statement Monday. 

The 828th brigade, which trains squad commanders, the 261st brigade, which trains army officers, and the 460th brigade, which trains the armored corps, will return to their scheduled training, the IDF said.   

In a briefing on Sunday, IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the objectives of the war “require prolonged fighting.”  

The return of reservists, he added, is aimed at ensuring “planning and preparation for the continuation of 2024… understanding that we will be required for additional tasks and warfare throughout this year.”  

Monday’s statement said the move is expected to “significantly alleviate economic burdens” and the troops “to gather strength for upcoming activities in the next year, as the fighting will persist, and their services will still be needed.” 

Background: Senior US officials told CNN in early December that they expected the current phase of Israel’s ground operation targeting the southern end of the Strip to last several weeks before it transitions, possibly by January, to a lower-intensity, hyper-localized strategy that narrowly targets specific Hamas militants and leaders. 

The Biden administration has warned Israel that it cannot replicate the kind of devastating tactics it used in the north and must do more to limit civilian casualties.