Israeli Soldier Killed In Gaza In Failed Capture Attempt

Illustrative image. (Israeli Defense Forces)

An Israeli soldier was killed during a capture attempt by fighters of the Hamas Movement who also attempted to snatch his body in the southern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on July 9.

The soldier was a heavy engineering operator serving in the ranks of the combat engineering unit of the IDF’s Southern Command.

According to a preliminary IDF probe, several Hamas fighters emerged from a tunnel and attacked Israeli troops near the city of Khan Younis. During the surprise attack, the fighters attempted to capture the soldier, who had been operating an excavator.

The soldier “struggled with them and the terrorists shot and killed him,” the military said, adding that the fighter then tried to make off with the soldiers’ body, but other Israeli forces guarding the area opened fire on the operatives, thwarting the attempt.

Earlier, the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced that its fighters attempted to capture an Israeli soldier in the area of Abasan al-Kabira to the east of Khan Younis, but that the “field conditions did not allow for it, so they killed him and seized his weapon.”

A main battle tank, two armored personnel carriers and two armored bulldozers of the IDF were hit with rocket-propelled grenades during the same attack, according to the group.

The death of the soldier brought the number of Israeli troops killed since the start of the large-scale offensive against the Hamas Movement in Gaza, codenamed “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” to 31.

The deadly attack in southern Gaza came as the IDF continued to advance in the northern part of the Strip and expand its control in the area Beit Hanoun.

Troops of the Givati Brigade joined forces with the 99th Division in efforts to surround the area, where the military estimated dozens of Hamas fighters are holed up in tunnels.

“The forces are operating to destroy terror infrastructure, eliminate terrorists and destroy Hamas’s military capabilities in the area,” the IDF said.

Five soldiers were killed in Beit Hanoun earlier this week after being ambushed by Hamas fighters, who targeted them with explosive devices and clashed with them from point blank.

Resistance in Gaza regained momentum in the last few weeks, with the IDF taking casualties on a regular basis. Now, Israel appears to be seeking time out.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said on July 9 that the ongoing offensive in Gaza could enable a hostage deal with Hamas.

“During Operation Gideon’s Chariots, we dealt a severe blow to Hamas’s governmental and military capabilities, and thanks to the operational strength we demonstrated, the conditions to advance a deal for the release of hostages have been created,” he said at a National Security College course graduation ceremony.

Israel will likely seek another temporary ceasefire that would allow it to free some of the 50 or so hostages remaining in Gaza and prepare for another offensive later in the year.

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