Soldier KIA in Gaza, bringing IDF wartime toll to 912

An Israel Defense Forces soldier was killed in action in the northern Gaza Strip, the military announced on Thursday morning.

The slain man was identified as Staff Sgt. Chalachew Shimon Demalash, 21, of the Nahal Brigade’s 932nd Battalion, from Beersheva.

According to an initial IDF probe, he was killed by a Hamas sniper in Gaza City.

On Tuesday, the military announced the death of Maj. Shahar Netanel Bozaglo, 27, a company commander in the Armored Corps’ 77th Battalion, from Migdal Haemek.

An IDF probe found that a Hamas terrorist fired a rocket-propelled grenade at Bozaglo’s tank, critically wounding him. He was evacuated to a hospital, where he later died of his injuries.

The death toll among Israeli troops since the start of the Gaza ground incursion on Oct. 27, 2023, now stands at 466, and at 912 on all fronts since the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023.

‘Operation Gideon’s Chariot II’

Over the past 24 hours, the Israeli Air Force attacked more than 170 terrorist targets across the Gaza Strip, including weapons storage facilities, the military said on Thursday.

In Gaza City, IDF troops dismantled military infrastructure, including positions used to launch ambushes against Israeli forces. Soldiers also killed a terrorist carrying an explosive device who attempted to carry out an attack.

In the northern Gaza Strip, forces continued dismantling above- and below-ground terrorist infrastructure, including an ambush post where an explosive device was discovered. In southern Gaza, IDF troops killed several terrorists who approached and posed an immediate threat.

In recent weeks, the 6th “Etzioni” Reserve Infantry Brigade operated in the Rafah area, where troops eliminated terrorist cells and dismantled numerous military sites.

Following the Rafah operation, the brigade immediately redeployed to Khan Yunis, where forces destroyed observation posts and additional terrorist infrastructure, and killed dozens of Hamas operatives.

The Etzioni Brigade is currently holding positions in southern Khan Yunis to preserve the IDF’s gains and expand control in the Magen Oz Corridor.

IDF chief in Gaza City

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir conducted a situational assessment in Gaza City on Wednesday with Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor and other senior officers.

“We are operating in the Gaza Strip with a large number of troops, with a focus on striking Gaza City to create conditions for the release of the hostages and for Hamas’s decisive defeat,” said Zamir.

“The IDF strikes powerfully and precisely—all of its capabilities are at the disposal of the troops. We will continue a systematic and thorough advance, while ensuring compliance with all security rules,” he added.

Zamir estimated that most Gaza City residents have already fled, with civilians being directed south for their safety. He urged Palestinians in the Strip to distance themselves from Hamas, which he blamed for their suffering, adding that the conflict would end if the terrorist group released the hostages and disarmed.

Speaking to troops in Gaza City, Zamir said, “You are the line of defense of the State of Israel. We will continue to defend our communities, serve as a buffer between the enemy and Israeli civilians, and engage in a just and moral war. Your achievements are great, and the righteousness of our cause is with us.”

He continued, “There are nations in the world that hold a distorted view of reality and are exerting pressure on us, instead of on Hamas, after the horrific massacre committed against our people. On the Jewish New Year, we will bring security, defend and prevail.

“This is a war between freedom and oppression. This is a war in which the IDF, our troops—you—are the line of defense for Israeli civilians and the Jewish people, but also for humanity and the free world, against terror, oppression and brutality.”