The current Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip has reached its deadliest day yet, with 24 soldiers killed in a span of 24 hours.
The tragedy occurred on Monday, January 22, when 21 soldiers died in a single incident. According to the Israeli military, the soldiers were preparing explosives to demolish two buildings when they were hit by a rocket-propelled grenade from Hamas fighters. This caused an explosion that caused buildings to collapse on top of the soldiers. The three remaining soldiers were killed in another attack in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Despite the deployment of a medical evacuation team, rescuing the bodies of soldiers buried under the rubble proved to be a complicated and lengthy operation. The news has shocked and saddened the nation, with Israeli President Isaac Herzog calling it a “morning of unbearable pain” and expressing his condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers.
While Israel mourns the loss of these brave soldiers, their deaths also raise questions about the effectiveness of the ongoing offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is increasing both domestically and internationally, as many criticize the disproportionate number of civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip (more than 70% of the deaths have been women and children, according to the top diplomat of the EU, Josep Borrell).
As violence and bloodshed escalate, the world waits to see how the situation will be resolved and what the future holds for the region. Meanwhile, the families of the 24 fallen soldiers and the nation of Israel are in mourning.
With information from AFP