Eight Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza in one of the deadliest incidents for the IDF since October 7
Eight Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Gaza on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces says, in one of the deadliest single incidents involving its troops since October 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The IDF said the incident was still under review but preliminary findings suggested an armored vehicle carrying soldiers as part of a convoy had been hit by an explosion at around 5.15 a.m. local time during an operation targeting “terrorist infrastructure” in the northwestern part of Tal al-Sultan.
“According to the information we have at this point one of the engineering vehicles in the convoy was involved in an explosion that was apparently caused by explosive devices planted in the area or as a result of anti-tank missile fire,” IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari told a press conference Saturday.
The IDF is also investigating whether the initial explosion was compounded when explosive materiel aboard the vehicle detonated.
“The current assessment is that the ‘Nemera’ armored vehicle got hit as a result of an explosion of a side bomb. In addition, on the vehicle there were engineering tools that include explosive materiel. The explosion was significant and may have been caused by the ignition of the explosive materiel on the vehicle. All this is not supposed to happen and therefore the incident is being examined,” the IDF said.
So great was the damage that it was difficult to identify and locate the bodies of those killed, the Israeli military added.
“Today we received another painful reminder of the price of war and that brave warriors and heroes were willing to sacrifice their lives for the state of Israel, which is the common home of all of us: Druze, Jews, Bedouin, Muslims and Christians. All citizens of Israel, our hearts and thoughts are with the families at this difficult time,” Hagari said at the press conference.
The IDF has not announced who they think was responsible for the incident.
However, Al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said it had “carried out a complex ambush against enemy vehicles” operating in Tal al-Sultan, which lies west of the southern city of Rafah.
The militant group claimed it had targeted a military bulldozer, which then caught on fire, and that when rescue troops arrived, it hit an armored personnel carrier with a missile strike.
“Our painful strikes against the enemy will continue everywhere they are present, and the occupying army will find nothing but death traps,” the militant group said.
Israel identified one of the dead soldiers as Captain Wassem Mahmoud, Deputy Company Commander in the Engineering Battalion. The other seven names are yet to be disclosed.
We must stick to war goals: Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a speech on Saturday, spoke of his “deep sorrow” over the deaths, describing the enemy as “loathsome and murderous,” but pledged to stick to his war goals.
“Despite the heavy and staggering cost, we must stick to the goals of the war: destroying the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas, returning all our abductees, making sure that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel and returning our residents safely to their homes – both in the north and in the south,” Netanyahu said.
He came under fire from opposition leader Yair Lapid, who accused Netanyahu of prioritizing political gains over national unity.
Speaking at an anti-government rally in Tel Aviv, Lapid offered his condolences to the families of the eight soldiers killed in Tal al-Sultan before criticizing what he claimed was Netanyahu’s response to a previous incident involving the deaths of four soldiers earlier this week. smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc smc
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