The Israeli Army stated on Saturday (06/15/2024) that eight of its soldiers were killed in the southern Gaza Strip in the explosion of a Namer armored personnel carrier. These deaths bring to 306 the number of Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza since Israel began its ground offensive in the Palestinian territory on October 27.
The al-Qasam brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, claimed this morning the attack as “an ambush against enemy vehicles” that were in the Tal al-Sultan area, west of Rafah. According to the Islamist organization, considered a terrorist organization by the European Union and other countries, they attacked a Namer armored combat engineering vehicle using an Al Yassin 105 projectile, which set it on fire and killed the eight soldiers.
Army spokesman Daniel Hagari stated in a hearing this Saturday night that the incident was “probably” caused by an explosive device placed near the armored vehicle or an anti-tank missile fired at it. However, the armed forces point out that the explosion of a bomb hit the vehicle, which was loaded with explosive material, causing it to also explode and triggering a large detonation that killed the eight soldiers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video statement this Saturday to show his condolences for the deaths of the soldiers, in which he insisted on the need to continue fighting. “This monstrous enemy does not intend to stop here. Along with the rest of Iran’s evil axis of evil, he will continue to try to destroy us,” he said in the video, “so there is no alternative to victory.” “Many more challenges await us,” predicted the Israeli leader in the face of the war that the country is waging “on several fronts, including the international one.” “We fight to ensure our existence and our future, we fight to bring back our hostages,” said the politician.
It is the deadliest day for the Israeli Army since January 22, when 21 soldiers died when two buildings collapsed on them in the deadliest incident since Israel launched the ground operation in the enclave. The Ministry of Health today denounced the death “by bullets from the (Israeli) occupation” of a 16-year-old Palestinian during a raid in the town of Beit Furik, east of Nablus (in the northern West Bank).
lgc (afp, efe)
