
Five Israeli soldiers were killed and two others seriously wounded during combat in northern Gaza on Tuesday, according to the Israeli military, which did not provide extensive details about the incident.
The military identified four of the deceased soldiers but did not disclose information regarding their mission or the opposing forces. This incident follows a previous occurrence last month in which the Israeli military reported the deaths of seven soldiers in the city of Khan Younis.
Negotiations are currently taking place in Qatar aimed at finalizing a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, as the conflict marks the longest war between Israelis and Arabs since 1949. President Trump indicated on Sunday, “I think we’re close to a deal on Gaza. Could have it this week.”
The conflict in Gaza escalated after Hamas launched an attack on Israel in October 2023, resulting in the deaths of nearly 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of approximately 250 individuals, according to Israeli officials. Israel's subsequent military operations in Gaza have led to significant devastation, with Palestinian health authorities reporting over 50,000 fatalities.
Despite several rounds of indirect negotiations aimed at establishing a new cease-fire and securing the release of hostages held by Hamas, both parties have consistently failed to reach an agreement.
The primary points of contention in the ongoing negotiations include the presence of Israeli forces in Gaza, guarantees for a permanent cessation of hostilities, and the distribution of humanitarian aid.
Hamas has called for the cessation of operations by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed aid organization, while Israel insists that the group continue its food distribution efforts to prevent Hamas from exploiting the aid.
Since the foundation commenced its operations in May, numerous reports have emerged of fatalities and injuries among Palestinians attempting to collect food parcels from distribution sites. Witnesses have indicated that Israeli troops have opened fire on individuals approaching these new aid hubs, although the Israeli military has maintained that its forces have only fired “warning shots.”