Palestinians inspect the destruction in a neighbourhood heavily damaged by Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City's Shati refugee camp early on October 9, 2023. The Israeli army said it hit more than 500 targets in the Gaza Strip in overnight strikes, as the death toll from its war with Palestinian militants surged above 1,100. (Photo by MAHMUD HAMS / AFP) (Photo by MAHMUD HAMS/AFP via Getty Images)
The Israeli military has confirmed that 21 soldiers lost their lives in combat in southern Gaza, marking the most significant single loss of life for Israeli troops since the conflict with Hamas began.
Another soldier sustained serious injuries during the same operation.
According to Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the army spokesman, the incident unfolded near the Kissufim border community as Hamas launched an attack on Israeli soldiers engaged in the destruction of military infrastructure belonging to the Palestinian resistance group. Hagari explained that Hamas fighters fired a rocket-propelled grenade at an Israeli tank, coinciding with an explosion that caused the collapse of two two-story buildings.
“The buildings collapsed due to this explosion, while most of the forces were inside and near them,” Hagari added.
The army spokesman revealed that an investigation had been initiated into the incident, noting that the explosion resulted from mines planted by Israeli soldiers. However, the exact cause of the detonation is yet to be confirmed.
The Israeli military released the names of 10 soldiers, while the families of the remaining 11 were personally notified of their loved ones’ tragic demise.
These casualties bring the death toll of Israeli soldiers in Gaza to 219 since the commencement of the ground assault on October 27. The overall death toll for the Israeli army, spanning the entire offensive against Gaza starting October 7, now stands at 556.
The ongoing conflict has seen Israel intensify its operations in the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7. The Palestinian resistance group has reported at least 25,295 casualties and 63,000 injuries. Conversely, Israeli casualties stand at nearly 1,200.
The Israeli offensive has taken a toll on Gaza’s population, with 85% internally displaced and facing acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine. The United Nations reports that 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed. (Compiled from reports by CNN and Anadolu Agency)
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