Israel announced this Tuesday the death of 24 soldiers in the last 24 hours in Gaza, the highest number since the conflict against Hamas broke out on October 7. Reservists were preparing explosives to demolish two buildings in central Gaza on Monday when a Palestinian militant lobbed a rocket-propelled grenade at a nearby tank, said Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, chief military spokesman for Israeli forces.
The blast set off the explosives, causing both two-story buildings to collapse on top of the soldiers inside. "As far as we know, around four in the afternoon the terrorists fired an RPG at a tank protecting the forces and at the same time an explosion occurred in two two-story buildings," said Hagari, who confirmed to the media Hebrews that they are investigating whether the explosion was the result of mines placed by the troops themselves.
The incident occurred in the center of the strip, near the border community of Kissufim, where the Army announced that troops were destroying Hamas Islamist structures in order to create a security perimeter that "would allow residents of Israeli border communities return to their homes. Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al Qidra told Reuters that the Israeli army was shelling the area by land, sea and air, and that the military had raided a hospital and arrested medical staff.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog issued a statement about what he called an "unbearably difficult morning." "On behalf of the entire nation, I comfort the families and pray that the injured recover. Even on this sad and difficult morning, we are strong and remember that together we will win," he declared.
The deadly incident, with a high death toll, could give new impetus to critical voices in Israel calling for a ceasefire or even a complete halt to the offensive. In the past, large numbers of Israeli casualties pressured the Israeli government to halt military operations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to press ahead until Israel eliminates Hamas and frees more than 100 hostages still held captive in Gaza, although the Jewish people are increasingly divided over whether both goals can be achieved. The hostages' families and many of their supporters have called on the government to reach a ceasefire agreement, saying time is running out to bring the hostages home alive.
In fact, in the last few hours some sources indicate that Israel's negotiating team has proposed stopping the attacks for two months. In exchange, and according to a plan that would include various phases, Hamas would proceed to release the hostages still in its hands.
On Monday, dozens of relatives of those captured stormed a meeting of a parliamentary committee demanding an agreement to achieve the release of their loved ones. Israel launched the offensive after the Hamas cross-border attack on October 7 that killed more than 1,200 people and kidnapped about 250 more. More than 100 were freed in November in exchange for a week-long ceasefire and the release of 240 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
The offensive has caused widespread destruction, displacing approximately 85% of Gaza's population and leaving more than 25,000 Palestinians dead, according to Palestinian data.
The United Nations and international aid agencies say the fighting has unleashed a humanitarian disaster, with a quarter of the area's 2.3 million people facing famine.
