Five Israeli soldiers killed, 14 wounded in Gaza ambush

At least five Israeli soldiers were killed and 14 others wounded in a deadly ambush after an explosive device detonated while occupation forces were patrolling on foot in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza.

According to reports, Palestinian resistance fighters planted a roadside bomb at the location where the Israeli troops were stationed. When Israeli rescue forces arrived at the scene, they too came under targeted fire.

Israeli media reported that the soldiers belonged to the Netzah Yehuda (97th) Battalion of the Kfir Brigade, a unit known for its role in demolishing Palestinian homes using landmines and explosives.

Following the ambush, Israeli helicopters launched heavy gunfire in the area while evacuating the wounded soldiers.

Since the beginning of Israel's military assault on Gaza following the Hamas attack on October 27, 2023, approximately 888 Israeli soldiers have been reported killed.

Read: Israeli soldier involved in Gaza and Lebanon assaults dies by suicide amid PTSD struggles

Meanwhile, Israeli army has killed over 57,523 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children, have been killed, with 136,617 injured. An estimated 11,000 bodies are believed to remain trapped under the rubble.

Amid ongoing violence, a third round of indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas has begun in Qatar.

Foreign media reports suggest that while the first two rounds of negotiations yielded no major breakthroughs, both parties remain cautiously optimistic about reaching an agreement. The talks are expected to continue over the coming days.

A White House spokesperson confirmed that US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to travel to Doha later this week to join the negotiations.