The Israel Defence Forces reported the deaths of four soldiers in a Hamas ambush on Saturday as the conflict with Hamas in Gaza reached its sixth month. The soldiers were securing an army logistics corridor within Gaza when terrorists emerged from a tunnel shaft inside a destroyed building and opened fire at close range before retreating back into the tunnel.
Soldiers Involved and Investigation
Cpt. Ido Baruch, aged 21, was among the soldiers who lost their lives. He served as a member of the IDF’s prestigious Egoz unit and held the position of commander at the Commando Brigade’s training base. The other three soldiers, Sgt. Ilai Zair, Sgt. Reef Harush, and Sgt. Amitai Even Shoshan, were undergoing training in the Commando Brigade under Baruch. The army is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.
Casualties and Ongoing Conflict
Since the initial Hamas attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7, a total of 604 soldiers have lost their lives in combat, with 260 casualties occurring during the ground war in Gaza. Simultaneously, Israeli fighter jets conducted airstrikes on a military complex and three other sites linked to Hezbollah’s aerial defense system in Baalbek, northern Lebanon, in response to the downing of an Israeli drone.
Hostages and Previous Attacks
The October 7 attacks by Hamas resulted in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the capture of 240 Israelis and foreigners. Recently, Israel confirmed the deaths of 31 hostages out of the remaining 134 individuals still held captive.
