Israeli occupation forces say officer critically wounded in Gaza
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The unfolding fierce battles in Gaza, proving to be some of the most taxing for the Israeli occupation, continue to inflict losses upon the IOF.
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Israeli occupation forces carry stretchers towards a helicopter during an exercise simulating evacuation of wounded people in northern occupied Palestine, February 20, 2024. (AP)
The Israeli occupation forces said Monday that a high-ranking officer from the 82nd Battalion of the 7th Sa'ar Golani Brigade was critically injured during an intense battle in northern Gaza.
This announcement follows another admission by the Israeli occupation forces on Sunday, revealing that the commander of Battalion 52 sustained injuries during a fierce confrontation in southern Gaza. The injured officer holds the rank of colonel.
Additionally, the IOF acknowledged the death of an engineering unit officer from Battalion 601, who was killed during engagements in southern Gaza.
This brings the total number of Israeli military casualties to 680 officers and soldiers since October 7, 2023. Moreover, approximately 4,097 others have been wounded to varying degrees, according to Israeli media reports under the "permitted for publication" designation.
'Israel' facing shortages in military equipment
According to a Saturday report by Israeli broadcaster Channel 12, the occupation's military is experiencing a "really dangerous" situation, in which it suffers from shortages affecting various equipment.
As pointed out in Channel 12's report, the Israeli military command has been denying such claims in the past week, however, a recent extensive internal investigation has proven otherwise.
Israeli regular, reserve, and volunteer forces complained to the broadcaster of shortages affecting essential military gear, including ballistic armor, helmets, optical sights, and bomb suits, all of which are considered to be life-saving equipment.
Despite the shortage of individual gear among Israeli soldiers, a more dangerous scenario has come into effect. The broadcaster revealed that the status of the armory in a single Israeli formation led to drastically different results on the battlefield.
According to the report, Israeli military equipment, which includes armored vehicles and tanks, is subject to different standards, as some gear and systems are not up to the general quality of military-grade equipment.
In a recent report published by Maariv, shocking news regarding the losses suffered by Israeli armored forces emerged. The newspaper said that 500 armored vehicles, of various types have suffered damages since October 7, 2023. The lackluster Zelda M113 armored personnel carrier (APC) has been more heavily deployed by occupation forces in the Gaza Strip and has also been seen near the border with Lebanon.
In comparison to the weak armor of the M113, the Israeli Namer APC features an armored hull based on the design of the main battle Merkava 4 tank, shedding light on the huge gap between various Israeli equipment and systems.
