Israel has withdrawn its troops from Southern Gaza, including the city of Khan Yunis, following months of intense fighting with Hamas militants that left the area in ruins.

News ToGo reports that according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israeli media, the 98th commando division concluded its mission in Khan Yunis and left the Gaza Strip for rest and preparation for future operations.

However, a significant force, led by the 162nd division and the Nahal brigade, will remain in Gaza to maintain the IDF’s operational capabilities.

“The 98th commando division has concluded its mission in Khan Yunis. The division left the Gaza Strip in order to recuperate and prepare for future operations,” stated the IDF.

Regarding the withdrawal, an army official told Haaretz, “there’s no need for us to remain in the sector without an [operational] need. The 98th division dismantled Hamas’s Khan Yunis brigades and killed thousands of its members. We did everything we could there.”

Displaced Palestinians from Khan Yunis may now have the opportunity to return home after taking refuge in Rafah. However, the IDF official noted that the army “will continue to operate there according to the operational needs.”

Khan Yunis, once densely populated, has suffered extensive damage due to months of intense fighting, leaving large parts of the city in rubble.

The conflict in Gaza began with a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, resulting in casualties on both sides. According to official figures, 1,170 Israelis and foreigners, mostly civilians, were killed in the attacks. The Palestinian territory saw a much higher death toll, with at least 33,175 people killed, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.

The governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, all led by military regimes, are moving forward with plans to establish a confederation, according to an announcement from the Malian foreign ministry on Thursday.

News ToGo reports that this move deepens ties among the three countries through an alliance that challenges broader West African integration efforts.

On January 28, the military administrations of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger declared their withdrawal from the West African bloc ECOWAS. They emphasized that this decision was a “sovereign” one and stated their intent to leave the Economic Community of West African States “without delay.”

Further solidifying their stance, the leader of Niger’s military junta, Abdourahamane Tchiani, reiterated on Monday that none of the three Sahel nations would seek to rejoin the regional bloc.

At a gathering in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, the ministers from the three countries confirmed their joint commitment to depart from ECOWAS promptly and continue their collaboration under the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). The Malian foreign ministry shared that they “reaffirmed their commitment to advancing resolutely in the process of implementing the AES and creating the Tri-State Confederation.”

Details regarding the functioning of the proposed confederation have not yet been disclosed, including plans for alignment in political, economic, and security matters. These countries are grappling with a decade-long battle against Islamist insurgents that has caused instability in the subregion.

In November, their finance ministers mentioned considering the establishment of a monetary union, and officials from all three nations have expressed varying levels of support for moving away from the West African CFA franc common currency.

These military-led governments have severed longstanding military ties with France, their former colonial ruler. This move has diminished France’s influence in the Sahel region and complicated international efforts to combat militants associated with al Qaeda and the Islamic State.

The Senate has made a key demand regarding the raging war between Irael and Hamas.

News ToGo reports that on Tuesday, November 7, the Nigerian Senate urged the federal government to work with the United Nations to ensure an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

The Red Chamber also urged the federal government to press for a two-state solution to end the conflict, in which thousands, including women, children and aid workers had been killed. These resolutions of the Senate followed its consideration and adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Adamu Aliero (PDP-Central Kebbi).

Aliero said the casualty figures in the war were horrifying and that if not ended immediately, it may lead to World War III. Senators who contributed to the debate were Barau Jibrin (Kano North), Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) and Sani Musa (Niger East).

They all condemned the killings on both sides and called for an immediate end to the killings and the safety for lives and property.