The Israeli military reported that seven personnel, including an officer and six soldiers, were killed in fighting in the southern Gaza Strip, specifically in the city of Khan Younis. An explosive device planted on their vehicle detonated, setting it on fire. The military added that a soldier was severely wounded in a separate incident in southern Gaza.
Details of the Incident
- Cause of Death: The explosive device was planted on the vehicle, which then caught fire.
- Location: Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip.
- Number of Casualties: 7 Israeli soldiers killed, 1 severely wounded.
- Context: The incident occurred amid ongoing clashes between Israeli forces and Hamas in Gaza.
Background
- The war in Gaza was triggered by a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
- Israel’s subsequent air and ground war in Gaza has resulted in over 56,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, and displaced nearly the entire population of 2 million, leading to a hunger crisis.¹