The Israeli occupation military confirmed that an officer and a soldier were killed, while another soldier was critically injured, in ongoing ground battles with Palestinian Resistance fighters in the northern Gaza Strip.

The occupation army identified the killed troops as Master Sgt. (res.) Nitai Meisels, 30, of the 14th Armored Brigade, and Sgt. Rani Tamir, 20, of the 50th Battalion of the Nahal Brigade.

The Israeli occupation military announced that with the killing of the Meisels and Tamir, the number of soldiers killed since the start of the ground invasion into the Gaza Strip has risen to 156, while the number of those killed since October 7 stood at 489.

Status of injured soldiers

- Currently undergoing treatment:

Minor injuries: 126 soldiers
Moderate injuries: 258 soldiers
Severe injuries: 52 soldiers

- Wounded since the beginning of the aggression

Minor injuries: 1,099 soldiers
Moderate injuries: 564 soldiers
Severe injuries: 325 soldiers
Total: 1,998 soldiers

- Wounded since the beginning of the ground invasion of Gaza

Minor injuries: 308 soldiers
Moderate injuries: 316 soldiers
Severe injuries: 193 soldiers
Total: 817 soldiers

On Sunday, the Israeli occupation military confirmed that one reserve armored officer was killed in battles in northern Gaza. Prior to that, it confirmed that another Israeli soldier was killed during battles in the Gaza Strip, raising the number of soldiers killed in battles with the Palestinian Resistance over the weekend to 15.

Israeli media described the death toll of its army during the past 24 hours as "the biggest tragedy since the Israeli ground incursion" into the Gaza Strip.

The military spokesperson for al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, announced on Sunday evening that al-Qassam fighters had achieved several military achievements in the past four days. 

Abu Obeida announced that 35 Israeli military vehicles were completely or partially destroyed, 48 Israeli soldiers were killed, and dozens were wounded.

Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that the Gaza Strip is exacting a "very heavy price" as the death toll of Israeli soldiers killed by the resistance is mounting.

"This is a difficult morning, after a very difficult day of fighting in Gaza," Netanyahu said, adding that "the war is exacting a very heavy price... but we have no choice but to keep fighting."

In a related context, Israeli media reported that 27% of the Israeli military casualties in the war are officers. In detail, the media highlighted that three brigade commanders, four battalion commanders, and other senior officers have been killed in the war so far.

In addition, the media revealed that a patrol from the Nahal Brigade lost nearly all of its leadership, while Battalion 13 of the Golani Brigade also dealt a severe blow.

In this regard, former Israeli Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Golan was cited as saying that Israeli soldiers are being killed in Gaza without accomplishments or even clear war objectives.

Read more: Gaza Resistance escalates operations, blows up tunnels in IOF soldiers