Israel to Pull Thousands of Troops from Gaza Battle
Military Spokesman Says Army Is Adjusting the Fighting
ICJ Will Deliver a Ruling Friday on Case Brought by Palestine
Israel will pull thousands of troops from the Gaza Strip, a military spokesman said Monday, as the army adjusts its fighting strategy in the face of mounting international pressure to end the conflict.
The announcement came as mediators to the Gaza War cease-fire talks said the two-day talks had ended with a "hopeful note." The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will deliver a ruling Friday on a case brought by Palestine accusing Israel of war crimes.
Israel has said it was targeting a Hamas commander when it bombed a building in Gaza City, killing at least 10 people, including eight children. The Israeli military says it has effectively surrounded Gaza City and split Gaza in two.
- Israel has released a photo of Hamas commanders and says it has killed five of them.
- The United Nations says more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, most of them civilians.
- The Israeli military says 43 Israeli soldiers have been killed.
The conflict began on July 8 when Israel launched an air campaign against Hamas in response to rocket fire from Gaza. The ground invasion began on July 17.
The United States and the European Union have called for an immediate cease-fire, but both sides have rejected the appeals.
The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to meet on Tuesday to discuss the crisis.
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