30,000 explosives were seized since the beginning of the ground operation.
By Joshua Marks, JNS
The Israel Defense Forces has published the names of 13 soldiers killed in action in the Gaza Strip over the weekend, including nine on Saturday.
Since the start of Israel’s ground invasion on Oct. 27, a total of 152 troops have been killed; 485 soldiers have died since the beginning of the war against Hamas on Oct. 7.
Eight of Saturday’s casualties were announced on Sunday morning, with four killed in battle in the southern Gaza Strip when an anti-tank missile hit their armored personnel carrier. They were identified as Staff Sgt. David Bogdanovskyi, 19, from Haifa; Staff Sgt. Orel Bashan, 20, from Haifa; Staff Sgt. Gal Hershko, 20, from Yiftah; and Staff Sgt. Itamar Shemen, 21, from Lapid.
In addition, Master Sgt. (res.) Nadav Issachar Farhi, 30, from Herzliya, and Master Sgt. (res.) Eliyahu Meir Ohana, 28, from Haifa, were killed by a booby-trap in central Gaza.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Elyassaf Shoshan, 23, from Jerusalem, and Sgt. First Class (res.) Ohad Ashur, 23, from Kfar Yona, were killed by an explosive device in central Gaza in the operation to expand the Netzer Corridor, which bisects the Strip from north to south.
We are heartbroken to report on the deaths of 8 additional #IDF soldiers who were killed in #Gaza during this current operation against #Hamas terrorists. May the memories and heroism of these brave men forever be a blessing. pic.twitter.com/s1Rpd70jve
— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) December 24, 2023
Israeli forces destroy 30,000 explosive devices
“So far, our forces have destroyed and seized around 30,000 explosive devices, including anti-tank missiles and rockets that were in Hamas’s possession,” IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said during a press briefing on Saturday night.
Furthermore, Hagari said that Israeli forces had expanded ground operations in the southern and northern parts of the Gaza Strip.
During the past day, combined ground, aerial, and naval forces attacked 200 targets in the Gaza Strip, the IDF said on Sunday morning.
במהלך היממה האחרונה חיל האוויר, כוחות האוגדות המתמרנות ולוחמי זרוע הים תקפו כ-200 מטרות בשטח רצועת עזה.
הלוחמים ממשיכים לנהל קרבות עזים עם מחבלים, להשמיד תשתיות טרור ולאתר אמצעי לחימה רבים >> pic.twitter.com/VRkzbSj7Kd
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) December 24, 2023
In the Hamas stronghold of Khan Yunis in the south, soldiers are working to expose and destroy underground terror infrastructure. The Kfir Infantry Brigade (900th) raided a terrorist headquarters in the city, locating many weapons, including dozens of grenades and explosives.
Seven terrorists were killed and four Hamas observation devices were destroyed in the Jabalia area in an operation conducted by forces from the 460th Brigade Combat Team.
במהלך פעילות של צוות קרב חטיבתי 460 במרחב ג’באליא, הכווינו הכוחות כלי טיס של חיל האוויר ובשילוב ירי ארטילרי שביצעו לוחמי החטיבה, חוסלו שבעה מחבלים והושמדו ארבעה אמצעי תצפית של ארגון הטרור חמאס שפורסו במרחב >> pic.twitter.com/uglfvPnCXC
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) December 24, 2023
Israeli forces are operating in the Gaza City neighborhoods of Daraj and Tufah to the north of Shejaia, searching schools and finding “a significant amount of rockets and equipment belonging to Hamas’s naval commando unit.”
IDF chief meets with troops in Khan Yunis
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi toured the combat zone of Khan Yunis, meeting with soldiers from the 98th Division and the Givati Brigade and holding a situational assessment.
Halevi was joined by the commander of the Southern Command, Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman; 98th Division Commander Brig. Gen. Dan Goldfuss; and the commander of the Givati Brigade, Col. Liron Batito.
“An impressive attack; we still have a lot of work to do,” Halevi told the troops.
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