IDF reports eight Israeli soldiers dead in Rafah operation

According to the Israeli military, eight Israeli troops died on Saturday in southern Gaza.

At approximately 05:15 local time (03:15 BST), the soldiers were making their way back after a nocturnal operation in the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah when their armored vehicle is thought to have exploded.

However, earlier on, Hamas' military arm, Al Qassam Brigades, claimed to have "carried out a complex ambush against enemy vehicles" while operating near Tal al-Sultan, west of Rafah in the south.

According to the insurgent group, it was aimed at a military bulldozer that caught fire, killing and injuring its crew. The soldiers were killed when rescue personnel struck an armored personnel carrier after they arrived.

Since January of this year, the eight soldiers' deaths represent the bloodiest event involving Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.

Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and mortars were used by Hamas forces to target Israeli tanks in the area on Friday, while the IDF reported discovering militants' passages in the form of tunnels between nearby houses.

According to the Gaza Civil Defense Directorate, Israeli strikes on central Gaza resulted in the deaths of at least 14 individuals, including seven children.

According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, 30 people have died and 95 have been injured in the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours.