Israeli occupation admits 444 soldiers dead since October 7

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli Media
13 Dec 2023 23:26

The Israeli occupation forces admit that around 450 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the start of the Resistance's operations.

Israeli soldiers attend the funeral of an Israeli soldier in "Kfar Tavor", occupied Palestine, December 13, 2023' (AP)

The Israeli occupation forces admitted on Wednesday that the tally of its soldiers who have been killed since October 7 rose to 444 officers and cadets.

The high toll also includes 82 soldiers from the elite Golani brigades, one of the most prestigious units in the Israeli occupation forces.

Israeli media reported that among the 444 dead soldiers, 103 were of the rank of captain and above, and 5 were colonels, essentially the commander of a brigade.

Earlier today, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) acknowledged that 10 soldiers were killed, most of whom were officers, in battles in northern Gaza yesterday.

IOF spokesperson announced the death of 6 officers:

Lt. Col. Tomer Grinberg, 35, the commander of the Golani Brigade’s 13th Battalion.
Col. Itzhak Ben Basat, 44, head of the Golani Brigade’s commander’s team, former head of the Yiftah Brigade.
Maj. Roei Meldasi, 23, a company commander in the Golani Brigade’s 13th Battalion.
Maj. Moshe Avram Bar On, 23, a company commander in the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion.
Cpt. Liel Hayo, 22, a platoon commander in the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion.
Maj. Ben Shelly, 26, a squad commander in the Israeli Air Force’s Unit 669.

As for the dead soldiers, they include First Class Sergeant Rom Hecht, 20, of the Israeli Air Force’s Unit 669, Staff Sgt. Oriya Yaakov, 19, of the Combat Engineering Corps’ 614th Battalion, Sgt. Achia Daskal, 19, a soldier in the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion, and Sgt. Eran Aloni, 19, of the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion.

The IOF spokesperson also reported critical injuries.

High-end guerilla warfare in al-Shujaiya

Israeli media reported that 10 Israeli officers and soldiers were slain during confrontations in the al-Shujaiya neighborhood.

The Resistance had executed a meticulously planned compound operation.

According to a Haaretz report, in al-Shujaiyya, the Resistance had engaged in fierce combat with a Golani force drawing them into a booby-trapped building, detonating it and taking out several soldiers in the bombing. Several soldiers were wounded and contact was lost with others in the first attack, Haaretz reported.

Reinforcements then arrived at the site covered by the Israeli occupation Air Force and artillery. By then, another explosive was detonated at the site, taking out the second team, the Haaretz report revealed.

A third team was dispatched to a search-and-rescue mission for the disconnected soldier, but they too fell to injuries in the fighting.

This recent operation brings the total number of Israeli soldiers killed since the start of the ground invasion of Gaza to 115.