Israeli Soldiers Killed Amid Gaza Escalation

Tel Aviv, Jul 8 (AP) – The Israeli military reported Tuesday that five of its soldiers were killed overnight in northern Gaza. Two additional soldiers sustained serious injuries.

Concurrently, health officials in Gaza confirmed that Israeli strikes in two different areas of the territory resulted in 18 fatalities.

Reports from Israeli media indicated that while the infantry soldiers were patrolling, they were targeted by explosive devices. Militants reportedly fired upon reinforcements that arrived to evacuate the casualties.

This surge in violence unfolds as Israel and Hamas contemplate a ceasefire proposal, backed by the U.S., which aims to pause the ongoing 21-month conflict in the region. The deaths of the soldiers occurred nearly two weeks after one of the deadliest incidents for Israel in recent months, when seven soldiers were killed following a bomb attack on their armored vehicle by a Palestinian assailant.

At Nasser Hospital, where the victims of the strikes were taken, health officials said one attack targeted tents housing displaced individuals in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, resulting in four deaths. Another strike in Khan Younis led to four more fatalities, including a mother, father, and their two children.

In central Gaza, Israeli strikes targeted a group of people, causing 10 deaths and injuring 72 more, according to a statement by Awda Hospital in Nuseirat.

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