Four Israeli Soldiers Killed, Five Injured in Gaza Explosive Attack

Four Israeli soldiers were killed and five others injured after entering a booby-trapped building in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, which exploded and caused the structure to collapse, according to the Israeli army. The fallen soldiers included members of the elite Maglan and Yahalom units, with two identified as Sgt Maj Chen Gross and Staff Sgt Yoav Raver. Since the start of the war triggered by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, over 860 Israeli soldiers have been killed, with more than 420 deaths occurring during the ground offensive in Gaza. The Israeli military faces a shortage of around 10,000 soldiers and plans to issue tens of thousands more draft notices to sustain its intensified campaign against Hamas. Meanwhile, Gaza's health authorities reported nearly 55,000 Palestinians killed amid ongoing Israeli air and artillery strikes, with new evacuation orders issued in northern Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed condolences to the soldiers' families and affirmed that operations in Gaza would continue despite internal political challenges, including tensions over ultra-Orthodox conscription.