2 more Israeli soldiers killed in battle in central Gaza

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) - Two more Israeli soldiers were killed during fighting in the central Gaza Strip on Sunday, according to the Israeli army.

An army statement on Monday identified the two soldiers as Master Sgt. (res.) Ido Aviv, 28, of the army's Yiftah Brigade, and Master Sgt. (res.) Kalkidan Meharim 37, of the Carmeli Brigade.

A third soldier was seriously wounded in a blast that took place in the Netzarim corridor area, the central Gaza Strip, it said, adding that the incident is still being probed.

The latest casualties bring the number of Israeli soldiers killed to 263 since the start of Israel’s ground operation in Gaza on Oct. 27, while the army's total deaths since the launch of the Israeli onslaught against Gaza on Oct. 7 jumped to 608.

On Sunday, the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian group Hamas, said that they ambushed Israeli forces in the Al Mughraqa area – the Netzarim corridor area – of the central Gaza Strip.

Israel has waged a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas last Oct. 7 year killing some 1,200 people.

Nearly 34,500 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 77,600 others injured amid mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities.

According to Israeli military figures, at least 606 soldiers have been killed and 3,310 others injured since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict on Oct. 7.

More than six months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.