JERUSALEM
The Israeli army announced Tuesday that two of its soldiers were killed in clashes with Palestinian fighters in the besieged Gaza Strip on Monday, bringing to 27 the number of Israeli troops killed since July 7.
In a statement, the Israeli army said seven soldiers were wounded, including three seriously, overnight.
It identified one of the two killed soldiers as Sgt. First Class Oden Ben Sira.
Since July 7, Israel has pounded the embattled Gaza Strip with fierce air and naval bombardments with the stated aim of halting Palestinian rocket fire.
On Thursday night, Israel stepped up its offensive to include ground operations, sending thousands of troops into the coastal enclave.
At least 583 Palestinians have been killed – mostly civilians – and more than 3550 injured in the unrelenting Israeli attacks.
Gaza-based resistance factions, meanwhile, have continued to fire rockets at Israeli cities in response to the ongoing Israeli attacks.
Israel's military operation, dubbed "Operation Protective Edge," is the self-proclaimed Jewish state's third major offensive against the densely-populated Gaza Strip – which is home to some 1.8 million Palestinians – within the last six years.
By Abdel-Raouf Arnaout
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