Israeli army says 5 soldiers killed, 14 injured in northern Gaza

Five Israeli soldiers were killed and 14 others were injured in battles in the northern Gaza Strip, the army said Tuesday.

In a statement, the army said: "Five soldiers from the Netzah Yehuda Battalion of the Kfir Brigade were killed in battles in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday evening, and 14 others were injured, including two seriously wounded."

Meanwhile, the Israeli Army Radio reported that the incident occurred on Monday evening when a foot patrol from the Netzah Yehuda Battalion was crossing the town of Beit Hanoun.

"The infantry soldiers were hit by a bomb planted on the side of a road shortly after 10 p.m. (1900GMT) on Monday, during ground operations in Beit Hanoun. The soldiers were operating on foot, and were not inside a vehicle," the radio added.

"While evacuating the injured from the explosion site, armed militants fired from an ambush towards the rescue forces, resulting in more casualties," it continued.

"The evacuation became complicated and prolonged, and additional rescue forces were called," the army said.

The Israeli army has killed more than 57,500 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023.