Eight Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza as conflict escalates

Eight Israeli soldiers died in the southern Gaza Strip as military operations persisted near Rafah, said the Israeli military.
Meanwhile, airstrikes and artillery fire aimed at various locations in Gaza claimed the lives of at least 19 Palestinians.
The group of soldiers lost their lives when an armoured vehicle they were traveling in was destroyed by an explosion, according to reports from Israeli media, quoted by AFP.
In an official statement, the military confirmed that "Captain Wassem Mahmud, 23, and seven other soldiers 'fell during operational activity in southern Gaza'."
Hamas's armed wing took responsibility for an attack on an Israeli armoured personnel carrier in Rafah's Tel Al-Sultan area earlier on Saturday, reportedly causing several Israeli casualties. As Israeli tanks moved into Tel Al-Sultan, many Palestinians, who had already been displaced several times, sought shelter in coastal areas amidst artillery shelling.
The Israeli military confirmed that forces in Rafah seized substantial quantities of weapons, including arms hidden both above ground and within tunnels built by Hamas. On Friday, militants in central Gaza launched five rockets; two landed in open areas in Israel, while three fell short and detonated within Gaza.
Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, a smaller ally of Hamas, released a statement on Saturday. An Al-Quds Brigades spokesman said in a video on Telegram, "Israel could only regain its hostages in Gaza if it ended the war and pulled out forces from the enclave." Islamic Jihad has been actively involved in the conflict.
The conflict originated from an October 7 attack led by Hamas, which resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and over 250 hostages taken to Gaza. Israeli authorities believe more than 100 hostages remain captive, though at least 40 have been declared dead in absentia.
Since a temporary truce in November, multiple attempts to arrange a ceasefire have failed. Hamas demands a permanent end to the conflict and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed not to end the war until Hamas is eradicated.
According to the Gaza health ministry, the Israeli military campaign aiming to eliminate Hamas has resulted in 37,296 Palestinian deaths, including 30 in the past 24 hours alone.