In a stark reminder of the intensifying Gaza offensive, four Israeli soldiers were killed on Monday when a Hamas-planted explosive device struck their tank in Gaza Citys Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, the Israeli military confirmed.
According to an initial army probe, three militants approached the tank at dawn, opened fire, and hurled the device into a hatch. The blast engulfed the vehicle in flames, leaving no survivors among the crew.
Following the attack, Israeli troops returned fire, targeting the assailants, and injured one. Another soldier sustained moderate injuries during the skirmish. Since October 2023, the conflict has claimed the lives of 903 Israeli soldiers, official figures show.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that over the past two days, Israeli forces have demolished 50 multi-story buildings in Gaza. “All of this is just an introduction, just a prelude, to the main, intensified operation – a ground maneuver by our forces, which are now organizing and gathering, moving into Gaza City,” he said, urging residents to evacuate.
The latest strikes in Gaza City included the toppling of the 14-story Vision tower in the west, as air raids and ground preparations signal a new phase of the offensive.
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4 Israeli soldiers killed in tank attack amid expanding Gaza offensive
cgtn.com
