Israeli President Herzog: “The return of the hostages is an integral part of winning the war”

On Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) disclosed that nine of their soldiers lost their lives in a confrontation with Hamas militants in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The soldiers met their demise when their armored vehicle came under attack by an anti-tank guided missile.

In the same incident, an additional two soldiers sustained serious injuries. Earlier in the day, the IDF had also reported the deaths of two soldiers in different skirmishes within the Strip.

These confrontations are part of Israel’s ongoing ground campaign in Gaza. The IDF has stated that they have targeted more than 11,000 Hamas-affiliated sites in the region since the commencement of hostilities.