[News] Resistance kills 21 invading Israeli soldiers in central Gaza in 1 day

[Anti-Imperialist News]

english.almayadeen.net
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/resistance-kills-21-israeli-soldiers-in-southern-gaza-strip>
Resistance kills 21 invading Israeli soldiers in central Gaza in 1 day
Al Mayadeen English
January 23, 2024
------------------------------

The Israeli occupation forces spokesperson admits to the largest death toll
since October 7 in an announcement.
[image: 39dae3da-91a5-49d2-9146-37faaba22b59.jpg]

   - Israeli occupation soldiers lower the coffin of killed Israeli officer
   near the occupation city of "Tel Aviv", occupied Palestine, on November 3,
   2023. *(AP)*

A total of 21 Israeli occupation soldiers and officers were killed by the
Palestinian Resistance in battles in the central Gaza Strip, an
announcement made by the spokesperson for the Israeli occupation forces
(IOF) revealed. Added to three soldiers reported killed earlier, the death
toll in 24 hours rises to 24.
Ten killed in buildings laden with explosives

A total of 21 Israeli occupation soldiers and officers were killed in one
operation by the Palestinian Resistance in the central Gaza Strip.

Earlier, the occupation's military had released the names of three
occupation soldiers
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israeli-occupation-forces-admits-3-officers-killed-in-khan-y>
killed in the southern Gaza Strip, however, a recent statement drastically
pushed the toll up. Although the names of 10 soldiers and officers, killed
near Khan Younis were released, the remaining names remain undisclosed due
to the "sensitivity" of the information.

A statement released by the IOF, early on Tuesday morning, was preceded by
the circulation of a leaked list that included the names of the 10
eliminated occupation soldiers on Israeli social media accounts and media
outlets.

Eventually, the IOF's spokesperson appeared in a televised broadcast and
revealed that the incident took place near Kibbutz Kissufim, opposite
several refugee camps and towns in the central Gaza Strip. He said that 21
troops operating in an area just 600 meters away from the separation fence
were killed, as they prepared to demolish a number of Palestinian homes in
order to establish a "buffer zone"
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/iof-extensively-bulldoze-in-central-gaza-to-create--buffer-z>
.

"As far as we know, at around 4 p.m., an RPG was fired by [Resistance
fighters] at a tank securing the forces, and simultaneously, an explosion
occurred at two two-story buildings. The buildings collapsed due to this
explosion, while most of the forces were inside and near them," he asserted.

With the reported killings, the death toll of the Israeli army since the
start of the ground invasion of the Gaza Strip has risen to 221, according
to what was reported by the military correspondent for the Israeli
*Kan *channel,
Itay Blumental.

*Read more: Israeli soldiers returning from Gaza feeling defeated, reports
say
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israeli-soldiers-returning-from-gaza-feeling-defeated--repor>*
How did the Israeli soldiers die?

While the statement provided a broad overview of the incidents, it
refrained from delving into the specific intricacies of the battle, leaving
the details of how the soldiers met their fate officially undisclosed.

However, according to *The Times of Israel*, the soldiers were killed in
one go after two large buildings in the Gaza Strip collapsed following a
large explosion.

Other outlets said the Palestinian Resistance fighters fired two
rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), which hit two buildings in the central
Gaza Strip. Importantly, the fighters had reportedly hit a large set of
mines that were being laid by Combat Engineering units, in preparation for
the demolition of the residential bloc.

Most of those announced killed served under the Gaza division's 261st
Infantry Brigade, which consists strictly of soldiers and officers enlisted
in the occupation's reserve force. The released list includes a squad
commander and a soldier serving under the 205th Armored Brigade.

Later, *Al Mayadeen*'s correspondent in Gaza reported that the operation
took place at the outskirts of al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza
Strip, adding that the incident confirms the Resistance's ability to
"strike anywhere".
Fate of a Merkava crew remains a mystery

In the context of the death toll update, both the spokesperson and Israeli
media outlets said that an Israeli tank came under attack. However, no
details further details were disclosed regarding the incident.

Meanwhile, al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced at
around 2:00 pm on Monday that its fighters had targeted an Israeli Merkava
tank to the west of the city of Khan Younis, with a locally manufactured
al-Yassin tandem RPG
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/gazas-homegrown-weapons:-how-hamas-pij-left-israel-in-shambl>
.

Nearing midnight, the Brigades' military media provided a significant
update on the tank, saying that an Israeli rescue force attempted to tow
the destroyed tank, including its crew from the scene. However, Resistance
fighters engaged the military rescue force, thwarting the attempt to pull
the crew and tank out. Finally, the Brigades said that an Israeli fighter
jet proceeded to launch several strikes at the tank which demolished it,
killing its crew.

The Israeli military is yet to comment on the horrific incident, in which
it deliberately eliminated its own troops
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/palestinian-resistance-treats-iof-officer---israel--kills-hi>
.

*Read more: Al-Qassam ambush takes down 30 Israeli soldiers in one go
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/al-qassam-ambush-takes-down-30-israeli-soldiers-in-one-go>*
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