JERUSALEM: Two Israeli soldiers were killed in combat in southern Gaza on Sunday, the military confirmed, marking another tragic loss in the ongoing conflict.
The soldiers, aged 20 and 22, served in the Golani Infantry Brigade’s 51st Battalion.
Defence Minister Israel Katz paid tribute, stating, “We have lost three young heroes -- some of our finest -- who gave their lives for the security of our state and the return of all our hostages.”
Military sources reported the soldiers died when their armoured vehicle exploded in Khan Yunis.
Israeli media correspondents attributed the blast to an improvised explosive device detonated by a militant emerging from a tunnel.
An investigation is ongoing.
The latest fatalities bring the total number of Israeli soldiers killed since the ground offensive began on October 27, 2023, to 462.
Israel launched its military campaign in response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, which resulted in 1,219 deaths, mostly civilians, according to AFP figures.
The Gaza health ministry reports 59,733 Palestinian fatalities, predominantly civilians, since the conflict began. – AFP
