Israel says 24 soldiers killed in Gaza, in largest single-day loss since ground war, while its troops circle Khan Younis
- 21 soldiers were killed when two buildings exploded after militants fired at a nearby tank, while 3 soldiers were killed in a separate attack in southern Gaza
- Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged it was ‘one of the hardest days’ since the war began
Twenty-four Israeli soldiers were killed in Israel’s worst day of losses in Gaza, the military said on Tuesday, while also claiming to have encircled southern Gaza’s main city and killed dozens of Palestinian fighters in a major ground assault of the new year.
Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said 21 soldiers were killed when two buildings they had mined for demolition exploded after militants fired at a nearby tank. Earlier, three soldiers were reported killed in a separate attack in southern Gaza.
“Yesterday we experienced one of our most difficult days since the war erupted,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
“In the name of our heroes, for the sake of our lives, we will not stop fighting until absolute victory.”
The deaths came as the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) attacked the western part of Khan Younis, the main city in the south of the enclave which is sheltering hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have fled areas to the north. Israel says the city is now the principal base of Hamas, the Islamist group that rules Gaza.