Two Israeli soldiers killed by roadside bomb in Gaza Death toll rises

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has said that two Israeli soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in central Gaza on August 17.

The casualties have been identified as Major (res.) Yotam Itzhak Peled, 34, from Rosh Haayin, and Sergeant Major (res.) Mordechai Yosef Ben Shoam, 34, from Geva Binyamin. Both soldiers served with the Jerusalem Brigade’s 8119th Battalion, Caliber.Az reports, citing Israeli media.

The soldiers were killed in the IDF-controlled Netzarim Corridor, located in the central Gaza Strip, while they were en route to resupply troops stationed in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood.

Since the beginning of the Gaza ground incursion on October 27, the total number of Israeli military casualties has risen to 331. The overall death toll on all fronts since the Hamas-led massacre on October 7 now stands at 691, according to official military data.

In addition to these losses, Ch. Insp. Arnon Zamora, a member of the Border Police’s Yamam National Counter-Terrorism Unit, was fatally wounded during a hostage-rescue mission in Gaza last month. Civilian defense contractor Liron Yitzhak was also mortally wounded in May.