Another Israeli soldier killed in northern Gaza

By Mustafa Haboush

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Israeli army announced on Sunday that one of its soldiers was killed during clashes in northern Gaza.

In a statement, the army identified the soldier as Staff Sergeant (Res.) Idan Keinan, 21, was killed by sniper fire in Jabalia on Saturday.

The latest death brings the total number of Israeli soldiers killed to 796 since the outbreak of Israel's war on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, according to casualty figures released by the army.

Since Oct. 5, Israel has launched a large-scale ground operation in northern Gaza, claiming that its goal is to prevent Hamas from regaining control of the area. However, Palestinian officials assert that the offensive is intended to depopulate northern Gaza and establish a buffer zone.

Israel has continued its devastating offensive against Gaza since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 last year. The onslaught has killed more than 43,700 people and rendered the enclave almost uninhabitable.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its deadly war on Gaza.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi