Eight Israeli soldiers were killed in an explosion in southern Gaza on Saturday, the Israeli army said, the deadliest incident for the army in the war since January.
The soldiers were aboard an armored vehicle that was hit by a major explosion that, according to a preliminary investigation, detonated “engineering equipment,” the military said.
The incident occurred during an operation in the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah, which has been a key target for Israeli forces in recent weeks.
Earlier, Hamas’ military wing said it fired a rocket at an armored vehicle after setting up an ambush.
The soldiers were returning from a night operation in the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah at around 05:15 local time (03:15 BST) when their armored vehicle reportedly exploded.
Israeli media reported that Israeli forces killed 50 fighters in the operation, and the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said 30 Palestinians had been killed in the past day.
In a statement published on
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had paid “a heartbreaking price in our just war in defense of our homeland” but said his country would continue to fight this war “to secure our existence and our future.”
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also expressed his sadness, saying that “the pain that accompanies such a loss is immense.”
Israeli ground troops continue to operate in Rafah to drive Hamas from what it calls its “last major stronghold.”
Aid agencies have warned of a dire humanitarian situation in Rafah, where the UN says around a million Palestinians have taken refuge.
On Wednesday, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said a significant proportion of Gaza’s population was facing “catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions.”
Several world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, have urged Israel not to carry out a full-scale assault on Rafah.
The Hamas-run Health Ministry says more than 37,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, and several hundred thousand others have been injured or displaced.
The war began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage to Gaza.
