Gaza (TDI): Five Israeli soldiers lost their lives during fighting in northern Gaza, the military confirmed on Tuesday, marking one of the deadliest days for Israeli forces in the territory this year.
The announcement came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was visiting Washington for high-stakes talks with US President Donald Trump, who has been urging an end to the war that has dragged on for over 21 months.
“It’s a difficult morning for Israel,” Netanyahu said in a post on X. “All of Israel bows its head in mourning for our heroic soldiers, who gave their lives fighting Hamas and working to free our hostages.”
According to military officials, the soldiers, aged between 20 and 28, were killed during an operation in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. Two additional troops sustained serious injuries and were transported to hospital for emergency care. Their families have been notified.
Military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said initial findings suggest the unit was struck by three IEDs within minutes. A backup team dispatched to evacuate the wounded came under heavy gunfire and also suffered casualties.
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Israeli forces have since encircled Beit Hanoun, a densely populated town in northern Gaza, with troops operating both on the surface and through underground tunnels. Dozens of Hamas fighters were reportedly detected in the area, according to AFP.
Hamas’s military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for the ambush. Spokesman Abu Obeida called the Beit Hanoun attack a “painful blow” and said the group’s fighters would continue to inflict losses on Israeli forces “from the north of the Strip to its south.”
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Opposition leader Yair Lapid used the occasion to reiterate calls for an end to the war. “For the fighters, their families, the hostages, and the State of Israel, it is time to stop,” he said.
Since Israel began its ground operation in Gaza on October 27, 2023, at least 450 soldiers have been killed, according to military figures.
The conflict was sparked by a deadly Hamas-led assault on October 7, which left 1,219 Israelis dead.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
