Resistance kills 21 invading Israeli soldiers in central Gaza in 1 day

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media + Al Mayadeen
23 Jan 2024 08:28
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The Israeli occupation forces spokesperson admits to the largest death toll since October 7 in an announcement.

Israeli occupation soldiers lower the coffin of killed Israeli officer near the occupation city of "Tel Aviv", occupied Palestine, on November 3, 2023. (AP)

A total of 21 Israeli occupation soldiers and officers were killed by the Palestinian Resistance in battles in the central Gaza Strip, an announcement made by the spokesperson for the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) revealed. Added to three soldiers reported killed earlier, the death toll in 24 hours rises to 24.

Ten killed in buildings laden with explosives

A total of 21 Israeli occupation soldiers and officers were killed in one operation by the Palestinian Resistance in the central Gaza Strip.

Earlier, the occupation's military had released the names of three occupation soldiers killed in the southern Gaza Strip, however, a recent statement drastically pushed the toll up. Although the names of 10 soldiers and officers, killed near Khan Younis were released, the remaining names remain undisclosed due to the "sensitivity" of the information.

A statement released by the IOF, early on Tuesday morning, was preceded by the circulation of a leaked list that included the names of the 10 eliminated occupation soldiers on Israeli social media accounts and media outlets.

Eventually, the IOF's spokesperson appeared in a televised broadcast and revealed that the incident took place near Kibbutz Kissufim, opposite several refugee camps and towns in the central Gaza Strip. He said that 21 troops operating in an area just 600 meters away from the separation fence were killed, as they prepared to demolish a number of Palestinian homes in order to establish a "buffer zone".

"As far as we know, at around 4 p.m., an RPG was fired by [Resistance fighters] at a tank securing the forces, and simultaneously, an explosion occurred at two two-story buildings. The buildings collapsed due to this explosion, while most of the forces were inside and near them," he asserted.

With the reported killings, the death toll of the Israeli army since the start of the ground invasion of the Gaza Strip has risen to 221, according to what was reported by the military correspondent for the Israeli Kan channel, Itay Blumental.

How did the Israeli soldiers die?

While the statement provided a broad overview of the incidents, it refrained from delving into the specific intricacies of the battle, leaving the details of how the soldiers met their fate officially undisclosed.

However, according to The Times of Israel, the soldiers were killed in one go after two large buildings in the Gaza Strip collapsed following a large explosion.

Other outlets said the Palestinian Resistance fighters fired two rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), which hit two buildings in the central Gaza Strip. Importantly, the fighters had reportedly hit a large set of mines that were being laid by Combat Engineering units, in preparation for the demolition of the residential bloc.

Most of those announced killed served under the Gaza division's 261st Infantry Brigade, which consists strictly of soldiers and officers enlisted in the occupation's reserve force. The released list includes a squad commander and a soldier serving under the 205th Armored Brigade.

Later, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza reported that the operation took place at the outskirts of al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, adding that the incident confirms the Resistance's ability to "strike anywhere".

Fate of a Merkava crew remains a mystery

In the context of the death toll update, both the spokesperson and Israeli media outlets said that an Israeli tank came under attack. However, no details further details were disclosed regarding the incident.

Meanwhile, al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced at around 2:00 pm on Monday that its fighters had targeted an Israeli Merkava tank to the west of the city of Khan Younis, with a locally manufactured al-Yassin tandem RPG.

Nearing midnight, the Brigades' military media provided a significant update on the tank, saying that an Israeli rescue force attempted to tow the destroyed tank, including its crew from the scene. However, Resistance fighters engaged the military rescue force, thwarting the attempt to pull the crew and tank out. Finally, the Brigades said that an Israeli fighter jet proceeded to launch several strikes at the tank which demolished it, killing its crew.

The Israeli military is yet to comment on the horrific incident, in which it deliberately eliminated its own troops.