Israel-Gaza updates: 22, including 18 children, reported dead in Rafah strikes

The withdrawal Sunday of Israeli troops from Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip was done to prepare forces for future missions, including in Rafah, according to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

“The withdrawal of troops from Khan Younis was carried out once Hamas ceased to exist as a military framework in the city," Gallant said Sunday. "Our forces left the area in order to prepare for their future missions, including their mission in Rafah.”

Speaking to reporters during a visit to the Israel Defense Forces' southern command, Gallant said, "We saw examples of such missions in Shifaa, and [will see] such missions in the Rafah area. We will reach a point when Hamas no longer controls the Gaza Strip and does not function as a military framework that poses a threat to the citizens of the State of Israel."

IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi also confirmed Sunday that "the war in Gaza continues" and Israel is "far from stopping."

Senior Hamas officials are still hiding in the southern Gaza Strip area, Halevi said in a statement.

"We will get to them sooner or later," Halevi said, adding that the IDF "will know how to return to fighting in the event of a truce as part of a hostage deal and that returning the hostages is a more urgent matter than other goals."

Halevi also said Israel is preparing to defend itself from a possible strike from Iran, which has vowed to retaliate against an airstrike allegedly carried out by Israel in Syria last week that killed a top Iranian commander.

Halevi said the IDF is fully prepared to deal with Tehran "in attack and defense."

-ABC News' Jordana Miller

John Kirby, the White House National Security Council spokesperson, said Sunday that any reforms by Israel after its deadly strike on the World Central Kitchen humanitarian aid convoy in Gaza last week have to be verified to restore "confidence."

Seven WCK workers were killed in the attack, which Israel has described as a "terrible mistake." The Israeli government and military have taken some steps in response, including allowing more aid into Gaza and disciplining some officers involved in the WCK drone strike.

"We need to see change over time," Kirby told ABC News "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz. "So, these announcements, Martha, they're very welcomed, and they're good. And they are some of the things that the president asked specifically for Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu to do in terms of opening up additional crossings, allowing more trucks in, getting the deconfliction process in place."

Kirby added, "But now we have to judge it over time, we have to see past the announcements and see if they actually meet these commitments over time, in a sustained and verifiable way, so that confidence can be restored not just between aid workers and [Israel's forces], but between the people of Gaza and Israel."

-ABC News' Tal Axelrod

Israel has withdrawn all ground troops from the southern Gaza Strip, after four straight months of fighting in the Khan Younis area, according to Israel Defense Forces sources.

A significant force led by Israel's 162nd division and the Nahal Brigade continues to operate in the Gaza Strip, preserving the IDF’s freedom of action and its ability to conduct precise intelligence-based operations, according to the IDF sources.

-ABC News' Dana Savir and Jordana Miller

Chef José Andrés claimed Israel is committing a "war against humanity itself" during an exclusive sit-down interview with "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz, following the Israeli drone strike attack that killed seven of his World Central Kitchen workers.

Andrés, who founded the humanitarian organization in 2010, pushed back against the Israel Defense Forces' findings on the WCK convoy strike, telling Raddatz, "Every time something happens, we cannot just be bringing Hamas into the equation."

"This is not anymore about the seven men and women of World Central Kitchen that perished on this unfortunate event. This is happening for way too long. It's been six months of targeting anything that seems moves," Andrés said. "This doesn't seem a war against terror. This doesn't seem anymore a war about defending Israel. This really, at this point, seems it's a war against humanity itself."

The IDF findings released on Friday said there were three strikes on the convoy. It also said WCK workers hit in the first vehicle were hit again while moving to another vehicle in the convoy. The IDF confirmed that the aid group had coordinated their movements correctly with them in advance, but conceded that Israeli officials failed to update its brigade on the coordinated humanitarian operation.

Asked by Raddatz if he was satisfied with the report's findings, Andrés thanked the IDF for conducting "such a quick investigation" though called for a more thorough, independent one.

"I will say something so complicated, the investigation should be much more deeper," he said. "And I would say that the perpetrator cannot be investigating himself."

Watch the full interview with Andrés on "This Week" Sunday morning on ABC.

-ABC News' Meredith Deliso