Israel said Wednesday that seven of its soldiers were killed in Gaza when their armored vehicle was attacked, marking one of the deadliest blows to its forces in the 20-month-old conflict.
The troops were operating in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis on Tuesday when their vehicle caught fire after assailants attached an explosive device to it, the Israeli military said.
The army's website listed the names of the seven soldiers, including a platoon commander from the battalion who "fell during combat in the southern Gaza Strip."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was "a difficult day for the people of Israel ... Our heroic fighters fell in a battle to defeat Hamas and release our hostages."
Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023 in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas incursion, which seized Israeli and other hostages.
