An Israeli soldier while being transferred to a hospital near Tel Aviv due to his injury in the Gaza battles (Anatolia Agency)
The Israeli army announced today, Friday, that 5 officers and soldiers were injured in the Gaza battles during the past 24 hours, while Israeli platforms circulated news about heavy losses suffered by the occupation forces in an ambush in Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli army announced new casualties in its ranks as battles raged in Khan Yunis in parallel with the clashes taking place in other areas, especially in the Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City.
According to the same source, more than 240 Israeli soldiers have been killed and more than 1,400 others injured since the start of the ground invasion of the Gaza Strip late last October.
The latest Israeli army data reported that 317 officers and soldiers are still receiving treatment after being injured in the Gaza battles, including 36 whose injuries are serious.
The Palestinian resistance says that the losses of the occupation forces are much greater than what is announced.
The Israeli army spoke of expanding the scope of its operations in Khan Yunis in the past few days, and said that it entered parts of the city that were spared from the fighting, claiming that it killed and arrested many Palestinian militants.
On the other hand, the Palestinian resistance factions confirm that they are engaged in fierce clashes with the Israeli forces penetrating Khan Yunis and its environs and are incurring losses.
In addition to Khan Yunis, the pace of fighting has recently escalated in the Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, and the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), confirmed yesterday, Thursday, the bombing of two tunnel holes and a mine building by the occupation forces in the Zaytoun neighborhood, resulting in the killing and wounding of many of its members.
An ambush in Khan Yunis
Meanwhile, Israeli (unofficial) communication platforms reported that a “difficult event” occurred to Israeli occupation army soldiers east of the city of Khan Yunis after bombing a building containing soldiers, noting that the army does not announce its losses until after the end of Saturday vacation.
Palestinian websites quoted Israeli media reports that an Israeli force was subjected to a precise ambush in Khan Yunis.
Israeli sources reported that 15 soldiers were present in the building that was blown up by the resistance.
According to the sources, today, Friday, 22 officers and soldiers who were injured in the Gaza battles were evacuated by helicopters to Israeli hospitals.
Israeli media also reported, citing Soroka Hospital in Beersheba, that more than 10 helicopters landed during the past hours carrying wounded people from the Gaza Strip.
It is noteworthy that last January, Israeli social media platforms announced a similar operation that took place in Al-Maghazi camp, which led to the killing of 21 Israeli soldiers, before the occupation army spokesman announced the operation, describing it at the time as the most difficult since the beginning of the ground invasion of the Strip.
Source: Al Jazeera + agencies