The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that four soldiers were killed and six wounded in fighting in the northern Gaza Strip yesterday, Saturday.
This brings to 402 the number of soldiers killed since the start of ground operations against the Islamic terrorist group Hamas in the coastal enclave at the end of October 2023.
The fallen fighters were identified as First Sergeant (Reserve) Alexander Fedorenko, 37, of Bat Yam (near Tel Aviv); First Sergeant Danila Diakov, 21, of Maale Adumim (in Judea and Samaria); Sergeant Yahav Maayan, 19, of Modiin (in the center of the country); and Sergeant Eliav Astuker, 19, of the port city of Ashdod.
Two of the six wounded soldiers are in serious condition.
A preliminary investigation suggests that the soldiers were hit by a high-powered explosive device detonated by Palestinian terrorists, who also opened fire on the troops, as they were traveling in a military vehicle in the Beit Hanoun area in the northern Gaza Strip.
IDF troops have recently stepped up their operations against the Hamas terrorist group in the far north of Gaza, concentrating on Beit Hanoun after having raided Jabalia and Beit Lahiya.
During these operations, 48 Israeli soldiers have fallen in combat.