Four Israeli Soldiers Killed in Gaza, Netanyahu Offers Condolences

JERUSALEM, June 7 — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday confirmed the deaths of four Israeli soldiers in southern Gaza, marking a somber moment in the ongoing conflict with Hamas. The soldiers were reportedly killed when a booby-trapped building exploded during military operations in Khan Yunis.

Netanyahu called the dead “heroes who sacrificed their lives for the safety of all of us.”

Two of the soldiers were identified as Staff Sergeant Yoav Raver and reservist Sergeant Major Chen Gross. The identities of the remaining two have not yet been released, pending notification of their families, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

The incident also left another reserve officer severely wounded, the military said.

Local media reports indicated that the soldiers were conducting operations inside a residential structure in Khan Yunis when the explosion occurred, likely triggered by hidden explosives planted by militants.

The latest casualties bring the total number of Israeli soldiers killed since the start of the ground offensive in Gaza to 429.

Israel has recently intensified its military campaign in Gaza, describing it as a renewed effort to dismantle Hamas and recover hostages taken during the group’s October 7, 2023 assault, which ignited the current war.

The IDF continues to face fierce resistance in the densely populated southern region of Gaza, where urban warfare and the use of booby-trapped buildings have posed significant risks to troops on the ground.