UPDATE 2 – Israeli army confirms 20 soldiers killed in Gaza ground operations

UPDATES DEATH TOLL; CHANGES THROUGHOUT

By Anadolu staff

JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli army confirmed Thursday that two more soldiers were killed in clashes in the Gaza Strip, taking the death toll to 200 for its soldiers in the territory where it recently ramped up air and ground attacks.

The Palestinian resistance group, Hamas’ military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, said the number of Israeli deaths in Gaza is much higher than what is announced.

Group spokesman Abu Obaida affirmed that al-Qassam fighters “continue to confront the occupation forces in the various areas of the Zionist incursion.”

Earlier on Thursday, the Israeli army said the commander of the 53rd Battalion was killed in northern Gaza, while four other soldiers were seriously injured.

Clashes and direct confrontations between the Israeli army and fighters of Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian group Hamas which carried out a surprise cross-border attack in Israel on Oct. 7, have escalated, particularly at the Erez crossing, the border point between northern Gaza and Israel, since Tuesday.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala and Mahmoud Barakat