Israel faces grim milestone with 21 soldiers dead in Gaza assault

The Israeli military has reported that 21 of their soldiers lost have their lives in a attavk on central Gaza, marking the most significant loss of life for the military since the beginning of the conflict.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the chief military spokesperson, on Tuesday updated the toll to 21 soldiers killed in central Gaza. The soldiers, preparing to demolish two buildings on Monday, faced an attack when a militant fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a nearby tank, causing a premature explosion and collapsing the buildings on the soldiers. The Israeli army had previously reported 10 soldiers killed in the Gaza Strip.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is determined to continue the offensive until Israel defeats Hamas and secures the release of over 100 hostages in Gaza. However, as per reports, the Israeli public is increasingly getting divided on the feasibility of achieving these goals. Families and supporters of the hostages are urging a ceasefire deal, emphasizing the urgency to bring the captives home alive. Recently, relatives of hostages disrupted a parliamentary committee meeting, demanding action for their loved ones' release.

Following Hamas' cross-border attack on October 7, which resulted in over 1,200 deaths and the abduction of around 250 individuals, Israel initiated the offensive. The campaign has led to extensive destruction, displacing approximately 85% of Gaza's population and causing over 25,000 Palestinian casualties, as reported by health officials in the Hamas-controlled region. The United Nations and international aid agencies highlight a humanitarian crisis, with a quarter of the 2.3 million people in the area facing the threat of starvation due to the ongoing conflict.​