The Israeli army on Tuesday said 24 soldiers were killed in the biggest single-day losses since the start of its war in Gaza against Hamas since October last year.
Twenty-four soldiers were killed on Monday, with army spokesman Daniel Hagari saying 21 of them were reservists slain when rocket-propelled grenade fire hit a tank and two buildings they were trying to blow up.
At least 217 soldiers have been killed since the ground offensive began in late October, including three killed in a separate event Monday, according to the military.
What Led to the Deaths?
The Israeli military said 21 Israeli soldiers were killed during fighting in southern Gaza. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said a tank protecting Israeli troops was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), killing two soldiers in the tank.
Simultaneously, the blast triggered the explosives, causing both two-story buildings to collapse on the soldiers inside, killing the forces in or near the buildings.
“The buildings probably exploded because of the mines that our forces laid there, in preparation to demolish them and the infrastructure around,” Hagari said, according to CNN.
However, the Israeli military said it is “still not clear” what caused the building explosion.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the deaths of the soldiers represented “one of the most difficult days since the outbreak of the war.”
Israel believes Hamas commanders may be hiding in vast tunnel complexes beneath Khan Younis, the hometown of the group’s top leader in Gaza, Yehya Sinwar, whose location is unknown. Hamas leaders are also believed to be using hostages as human shields, further complicating any rescue efforts.
Focus on Khan Younis
Recently, the Israeli military’s main focus has been in southern Gaza, with intense fighting in the city of Khan Younis.
The IDF said Tuesday that the city is now surrounded, while the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry says nearly 200 people have been killed in the past day.
The Israeli military said that the city of Khan Younis has now been surrounded, while the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry says nearly 200 people have been killed in the past day.
Deadly Fighting in The Center And South
Hamas is believed to have suffered heavy losses but has continued to put up stiff resistance in the face of one of the deadliest air and ground offensives in recent history. Militants are still battling Israeli forces across the territory and launching rockets into Israel.
Pressure For A Cease-Fire
The growing death toll and dire humanitarian situation have led to increasing international pressure on Israel to scale back the offensive and agree to a path for the creation of a Palestinian state after the war. The United States, which has provided crucial military aid for the offensive, has joined those calls.
But Netanyahu, whose popularity has plummeted since Oct. 7 and whose governing coalition is beholden to far-right parties, has rebuffed both demands.
Instead, he has said Israel will need to expand operations and eventually take over the Gaza side of the border with Egypt — an area where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have fled from other areas are packed into overflowing U.N.-run shelters and sprawling tent camps.
That drew an angry protest from Egypt’s government, which rejected Israeli allegations that Hamas smuggles in weapons across the heavily guarded frontier.
(With inputs from agencies)
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