Israel killed +15 Palestinians, lost two soldiers in Gaza

Shafaq News/ On Friday, Israeli forces continued air and ground operations across the Gaza Strip, with at least 18 Palestinians killed in strikes since dawn, according to health authorities.

A series of air raids struck the al-Shuja'iya neighborhood in eastern Gaza City, contributing to the latest casualties.

The overall Palestinian death toll has risen to 54,084 since October 7, 2023, with more than 123,000 people wounded.

Amid the military campaign against the enclave aiming to dismantle its remaining infrastructure, and the mounting international calls for a humanitarian truce, the Israeli military reported that two soldiers were seriously wounded in separate incidents in the northern and southern areas of Gaza, where hostilities with Palestinian factions continue.

One soldier was injured in the north during an exchange of fire, while the second sustained injuries in the south during ongoing military activity, the army said.

Last week, Israeli forces also acknowledged the deaths of two additional soldiers during operations inside Gaza.

Separately, the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, released video footage of what it described as ‘’a coordinated ambush’’ targeting Israeli forces east of Khan Younis. The operation, part of the group’s ongoing “Stones of David” series, was conducted on May 20 in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa School in the town of Al-Qarara. Explosives were detonated inside a building where Israeli troops had taken up position, followed by a secondary blast at a nearby tunnel entrance as reinforcements arrived.

According to official Israeli figures, 858 soldiers have been killed since the war began on October 7, including 416 since the commencement of ground operations in the Gaza Strip.