Talks under way in Egypt for second phase of Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza
Al JazeeraMAR 4
Israeli Troops Withdraw From Gaza's Netzarim Corridor
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Above: A displaced Palestinian man inspects the damage to his home in Gaza City, Palestine, on Feb. 9, 2025. Image copyright: Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Palestine narrative
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may try to convince his people that Israel is on the way to achieve a complete victory over Palestinians, but his actions say otherwise. Israeli forces withdrew because their attempt to occupy Gaza and carry out an ethnic cleansing campaign has failed, as the local people have bravely resisted.
Pro-Israel narrative
Though the establishment of the Netzarim Corridor represented a tactical victory in response to the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, the truth is that Israel never figured out what to do with it. As the corridor is now a large open space, the withdrawal makes sense — if this changes, Israeli forces are in a strong position to make a tactical return.
Metaculus Prediction
There's a 6% chance that Israel will establish direct governmental control of the Gaza Strip in 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
