Jerusalem, Jan 14 (IANS) Israel’s military announced that five soldiers were killed and eight others severely injured in an explosion at a building in the northern Gaza Strip.
The cause of the explosion, which led to the collapse of the building, was not immediately clear, and the Israeli military said the incident was still under investigation, Xinhua news agency reported.
In a statement, the military identified the victims as members of the Reconnaissance Battalion of the Nahal Brigade, including their 23-year-old squad commander. The soldiers “fell in battle” in Beit Hanoun, according to the statement.
The eight injured soldiers, from the same battalion, were “severely” wounded and evacuated to a hospital.
The deaths bring the total number of Israeli soldiers killed to 840 since the beginning of Israel’s multi-front war in October 2023.
The incident occurred as Israeli and Hamas negotiators were advancing indirect talks in Qatar’s Doha in an effort to reach a ceasefire deal after more than 15 months of deadly fighting.
Earlier on Monday, Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, claimed that it has killed more than 10 Israeli soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip during the past 72 hours.
After more than 100 days of the “comprehensive destruction and genocide carried out by the Israeli army, our members are still dealing it harsh blows,” Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for the Brigades, said on the social media platform Telegram.
He stressed that the Israeli army, which “has hidden the true extent of its losses,” “will withdraw from the northern Gaza Strip, and its “only achievement” is “destruction, devastation and massacres against innocent people.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on Monday that “progress” has been achieved in the talks held in Qatar on a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that will secure the release of the hostages.
“There is progress in the negotiations to release the hostages,” Sa’ar said during joint remarks alongside Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, who is on a trip to the region.
“Israel very much wants to release the hostages and is working hard to reach a deal,” Sa’ar said.
–IANS
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