Israeli army says officer killed in northern Gaza clashes

By Zein Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli army said Monday in a statement that Maj. Itamar Levin Friedman, 34, a reserve officer and team leader in the elite Lotar Eilat unit of the Idom Brigade, was killed in a battle in northern Gaza. No further details were provided.

With his death, the confirmed toll of Israeli military casualties since the start of the genocidal war on Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023 rose to 783 officers and soldiers. This includes 369 fatalities since the ground invasion of Gaza began on Oct. 27 of the same year, according to official Israeli military data.

The army also reported that 5,325 military personnel have been injured since the war began, including 2,420 during ground operations in Gaza.

Observers note that Israel has been tight-lipped about the human and material losses from its operations in Gaza and Lebanon, restricting the release of images and videos and warning against disclosing information to the media except through heavily censored channels.

Israel has continued a devastating offensive on the Gaza Strip since an attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. The onslaught has killed over 43,000 people and rendered the enclave almost uninhabitable.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the blockaded enclave.