Israel will withdraw part of its forces securing the country's communities near the Gaza border Jan 1, the Israeli military said Tuesday.
There are still some forces which will remain on security for three communities adjacent to the border and "ready for any scenario," the military said in a statement, Xinhua reported.
"The move follows an evaluation of the security situation, with the understanding that the protection the Israel Defence Forces provided to the residents of the Gaza border region is optimal," it added.