Eight Israeli soldiers killed during operation in Gaza Strip
Israeli soldiers near the Gaza Strip
Source: AP/Ohad Zwigenberg
Israel’s military has reported the deaths of eight soldiers. According to media reports, the soldiers died during an operation in Rafah when their vehicle exploded. In addition, the Lebanese Hezbollah militia attacked Israel with rockets.
BAccording to the Israeli army, eight soldiers were killed during an operation in the Gaza Strip. The incident took place in the south of the Gaza Strip, the army announced on Saturday. The eight soldiers died when their armored vehicle exploded near Rafah, where heavy fighting is taking place.
The armored vehicle was part of a convoy that drove to a building in the Tel Sultan neighborhood early Saturday morning that the military had previously taken control of. In the fighting the night before, Israeli forces had killed 50 Hamas militiamen, the statement added.
Regarding the killing of the eight soldiers, military spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a televised press conference that the explosion was “apparently caused by an explosive device placed in the area or by an anti-tank missile.” The families of the eight killed have been informed.
Source: OpenStreetMap; Infographic WELT
It is one of the highest casualty figures for Israeli troops in a single day since the beginning of the war against the radical Islamist Hamas. According to official figures, 306 Israeli soldiers have been killed since Israeli ground troops entered the Gaza Strip on October 27.
“Our hearts are broken by this terrible loss,” Prime Minister Netanyahu said of the deaths of the eight soldiers. “Despite the heavy and disturbing price, we must hold fast to the goals of the war.” Netanyahu does not want to withdraw Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip until Hamas has been completely destroyed.
Protesters on Saturday in Tel Aviv
Source: REUTERS
This approach is also controversial in Israel. On Saturday, thousands of people demonstrated again against Netanyahu and his Gaza policy. They demanded new elections in Tel Aviv, greater efforts to release the hostages kidnapped by Hamas and an end to the military operation in the Gaza Strip.
“Every soldier who dies is like a family member who dies. We feel it as a collective loss,” said Graciela Barchilon, a demonstrator in Tel Aviv, referring to the deaths of the eight soldiers. “I feel a lot of anger and disappointment. I believe that this government is not working and we must have new elections now,” added the 68-year-old.
Hezbollah attacks Israeli base
The Israeli army also engaged in new battles with the Lebanese Hezbollah militia. Hezbollah said it attacked the Israeli military base in Meron with “guided missiles” and fired “attack drones” at another Israeli base. The Israeli army confirmed that it had fired “two projectiles” at the military facility in Meron, which caused neither casualties nor damage.
Since the war in the Gaza Strip began more than eight months ago, Hezbollah has been engaged in regular firefights with the Israeli army in support of its Islamist ally Hamas. Hezbollah has stepped up its attacks since the killing of a high-ranking Hezbollah commander on Tuesday.
The Gaza War was triggered by Hamas’ major attack on Israel on October 7, in which Islamist fighters killed 1,194 people and took 251 people hostage in the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli sources.
In response, Israel has since launched a massive military operation in the Gaza Strip. According to figures from the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, which cannot be independently verified, more than 37,290 people have been killed so far.