Israeli forces acknowledge heavy losses in Gaza battles

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
22 Jan 2025 22:05

The actual number of Israeli military casualties during this period may be higher than officially reported.

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Israeli soldiers take up positions next to the Philadelphi Corridor along the border with Egypt, in the Gaza Strip, September 13, 2024. (AP)

A spokesperson for the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) on Wednesday acknowledged that "the Givati Brigade lost 86 soldiers and commanders who fell in the defensive battles on October 7th and in combat in the Gaza Strip.."

This revelation comes following the implementation of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which took effect last Sunday. As part of the ceasefire agreement, a significant military force from the Givati Brigade withdrew from northern Gaza.

The IOF have suffered substantial losses due to Resistance operations in the region. According to the latest figures, the army has reported the deaths of 841 officers and soldiers since the onset of the war, 405 of whom died during the October 7 operation alone.

It is important to note that the IOF have been known to withhold or underreport casualty figures, citing "military censorship" for security reasons. As a result, the actual number of Israeli military casualties during this period may be higher than officially reported.

Statistics released in November provide additional insight into the scale of these losses. The report revealed that 192 Israeli officers had been killed in the war, with "1 in 4 fallen officers being a commander."

These casualties included 67 platoon commanders, 63 company commanders, 20 deputy company commanders, 7 deputy battalion commanders, 5 battalion commanders, and 4 brigade commanders.