Gaza Strip: Israel Announces Total Pullout of IDF Troops Following Destruction of Terror Tunnels

Israel has announced it is redeploying all its troops to "defensive positions" outside the Gaza Strip as its main objective of destroying terror tunnels has been achieved.

"The Israel Defense Forces [IDF] will be redeployed in defensive positions outside the Gaza Strip and we will maintain those defensive positions," Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner told reporters.

The announcement has come just a few hours before the proposed 72-hour ceasefire comes into effect.

The IDF earlier said they have destroyed all the sophisticated terror tunnels which were allegedly being used by Hamas fighters to enter Israel, as the international community welcomed the 72-hour ceasefire urging restraint from both sides.

According to a senior IDF source, cited by the Times of Israel, 32 tunnels have been destroyed in the month-long conflict in the Gaza Strip.

Israel's Operation Protective Edge has claimed at least 900 Hamas fighters in Gaza and more than 4,800 insurgent targets have been hit.

The Gaza health ministry puts the Palestinian death toll at 1,900 and most them are said to be civilians including many women and children.

Despite both sides agreeing to adhere to a three-day humanitarian truce, tensions still persist, according to reports.

The US and the UN have welcomed the Egypt-brokered initiative and counselled calm.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon exhorted Israel and Hamas to show "utmost restraint".

A UN statement said Ban urged the rivals to "commence, as soon as possible, talks in Cairo on a durable ceasefire and the underlying issues. In this regard, he welcomes the proactive engagement of the Palestinian delegation under the leadership of President Abbas."

He also pledged the UN's full support to resolve the conflict.

US puts onus on Hamas

The US said the onus is on Hamas to prove they uphold the truce deal.

"This is a real opportunity. We strongly support the initiative. Israel has achieved its core objectives in Gaza. It's dealt with the tunnels. It's able to deal with the rockets outside Gaza if it has to," said deputy national security adviser Tony Blinken in an interview with CNN.

"The burden is on Hamas, I think, to demonstrate it will live up to the ceasefire. Then there's an opportunity to get to a more durable ceasefire and deal with some of the underlying issues. It has to start with Israel's security, dealing much more definitively with the rockets, with the tunnels over time, but also with the development of Gaza, so that people can live under different conditions."