Israel pulls back troops in Gaza to allow hostage recovery under US-brokered deal

The decision follows several days without progress on the recovery of hostages’ bodies, five days after the last remains were returned to Israel under a prior agreement.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israel began a limited pullback from parts of Gaza on Sunday as part of a coordinated effort to recover the remains of hostages still held by Hamas, amid growing pressure from U.S. mediators to prevent renewed clashes and advance to the next phase of ceasefire negotiations.

Israeli officials confirmed that the withdrawal came after warnings that continued activity beyond the designated “yellow line” could provoke direct confrontation with Hamas units nearby.

The decision follows several days without progress on the recovery of hostages’ bodies, five days after the last remains were returned to Israel under a prior agreement.

Thirteen sets of remains are still believed to be in Gaza, and officials said they do not expect any additional transfers before Monday.

According to reports on Kan News, the pullback is meant to allow Hamas and Red Cross personnel to conduct physical searches in Israeli-controlled areas, particularly in Rafah and Khan Yunis, where heavy excavation machinery has been observed.

Members of Hamas’ so-called Shadow Unit, which managed the hostages during the war, are said to be accompanying the Red Cross during these operations.

Defense officials described the move as “a massive return to the policy of October 6,” reflecting Israel’s decision to momentarily reduce its direct presence in Gaza to facilitate humanitarian and negotiation goals.

The plan is tied to Phase Two of President Donald Trump’s 20-point ceasefire and hostage-release framework, which Washington has urged both sides to implement. “They want to move forward to the next phase, even if not all the fallen are yet recovered,” one defense source told Israeli media.

During a recent briefing, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir told U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance that Israel had spent more than a decade searching for Lt. Hadar Goldin, killed in 2014, whose remains are still believed to be in Gaza.

Zamir noted that ongoing recovery efforts highlight Israel’s enduring commitment to returning every soldier home.

Israeli intelligence currently believes four slain hostages from the October 7, 2023, attack remain unaccounted for, with their burial sites unknown. The new coordination represents a rare instance of indirect operational overlap between Israel and Hamas since the start of the conflict.