Israeli army says 2 soldiers seriously injured in southern Gaza fighting

By Said Amori and Rania Abu Shamala

JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL (AA) – Two Israeli soldiers were seriously injured in fighting in the southern Gaza Strip, the army said on Saturday.

A military statement said the injured soldiers included a reserve officer in the 710th Combat Engineering Battalion and a reservist in the 749th Combat Engineering Battalion.

The army, however, did not provide details about the circumstances of the incident where the soldiers were wounded.

Despite more than 21 months since the start of the genocidal war on Oct. 7, 2023, Palestinian resistance factions continue to conduct well-planned ambushes in the area, inflicting casualties on Israeli forces, showcasing Tel Aviv’s inability to achieve its war objectives.

According to Israeli military figures, at least 893 soldiers have been killed and 6,108 others injured since the outbreak of the Gaza war in late 2023.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since the end of 2023, killing nearly 59,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages and the spread of diseases.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

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