Five Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat in the Gaza Strip in one of the deadliest days for Israeli forces in the Palestinian territory this year, AFP reports.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lamented a “difficult morning” as he visited Washington for talks with US President Donald Trump, who is pressing for a ceasefire in the more than 21-month war.
The Israeli military said the five soldiers, aged between 20 and 28, “fell during combat in the northern Gaza Strip”.
Two others were severely wounded and “evacuated to a hospital to receive medical treatment”, it said, adding their families had been notified.
“The investigation indicates that the force was hit by three [improvised explosive devices] that were activated within a matter of minutes,” military spokesman Effie Defrin said.
