On Tuesday, the Israeli military announced that 21 soldiers lost their lives in the Gaza Strip, marking the deadliest attack on its forces during the three-month-old conflict against the militant Hamas group.
The incident occurred on Monday when reservists, engaged in preparing explosives for the demolition of two central Gaza buildings, were targeted by a militant who fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a nearby tank. The ensuing blast triggered the explosives, leading to the collapse of both two-story buildings and the tragic loss of lives among the soldiers inside. This significant death toll may intensify calls for Israel to consider a pause or complete cessation of the ongoing offensive, as previous military operations have faced increased scrutiny and pressure from the Israeli public due to high casualty rates.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to persist until Israel decisively defeats the ruling Hamas militant group and secures the release of more than 100 hostages held in Gaza. The Israeli populace is increasingly divided on whether achieving either of these goals is feasible.
Relatives of the hostages and a significant number of their advocates have urged Israel to broker a ceasefire agreement, emphasizing the urgency of acting swiftly to ensure the safe return of the hostages. On Monday, a group of relatives of the hostages disrupted a parliamentary committee meeting, pressing for a negotiated settlement to secure the release of their loved ones.
Israel initiated its military campaign in response to a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in the death of over 1,200 people and the abduction of around 250 others. Subsequently, in November, over 100 individuals were released as part of a negotiated agreement that included a weeklong ceasefire and the release of 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
The military campaign has led to extensive devastation, displacing approximately 85 percent of Gaza’s population and resulting in the reported death of over 25,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in the Hamas-controlled region. International bodies such as the United Nations and humanitarian organizations assert that the conflict has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis, with a quarter of the area’s 2.3 million inhabitants at risk of starvation.
Furthermore, the war has escalated tensions in the region, with Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen launching attacks on United States and Israeli targets in solidarity with the Palestinian cause. On Monday, the US and Britain conducted additional strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have been targeting international shipping in the Red Sea, framing it as a blockade of Israel.
The incident that resulted in the soldiers’ deaths occurred approximately 600 meters from the border in Maghazi, which is one of the three established refugee camps in central Gaza since the 1948 war surrounding the creation of Israel. Ground operations have been concentrated in these camps and the southern city of Khan Younis, following Israel’s claim of having largely defeated Hamas in northern Gaza. These operations led to extensive destruction in that part of the territory, including Gaza City.
On Monday, heavy fighting in Khan Younis resulted in the death of dozens of Palestinians. In response to the high number of casualties, including children, people in Khan Younis were forced to dig graves in the courtyard of Nasser Hospital as the medical staff struggled to cope with the overwhelming influx of wounded individuals.
On Monday, Gaza experienced its 10th occurrence of internet and phone network failures during the ongoing conflict. This recurrence presented an additional obstacle for emergency responders and rendered it difficult for individuals to contact their relatives in various areas of the territory.
Israel suspects that Hamas commanders might be concealed within extensive tunnel networks beneath Khan Younis, the hometown of the group’s top leader in Gaza, Yehya Sinwar, whose whereabouts remain unknown. Additionally, there are concerns that Hamas leaders may be using hostages as human shields, further complicating potential rescue efforts.
The rising death toll and worsening humanitarian conditions have prompted a surge in global pressure to reduce the scale of the military campaign and engage in negotiations for the establishment of a Palestinian state post-war. Netanyahu has rejected both calls.
