The Israeli army said Tuesday 24 soldiers were killed in the biggest single-day losses since the start of its ground war in Gaza amid growing pressure on the government to find a way to end the conflict.
The heavy clashes came as a White House official was due in the region for talks aimed at securing more hostage releases, and as US media reported a new Israeli proposal for a deal that would involve a two-month pause in fighting.
Twenty-four soldiers were killed on Monday, with army spokesman Daniel Hagari saying 21 of them were reservists slain when rocket-propelled grenade fire hit a tank and two buildings they were trying to blow up.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the army had launched an investigation into the “disaster”. More than 200 soldiers have been killed since Israel launched its ground operations in Gaza.
“We must learn the necessary lessons and do everything to preserve the lives of our warriors,” Netanyahu said.
An analyst said the mounting Israeli toll would heap pressure on the government.
“Everybody is mourning the soldiers this morning and I think people will demand clear answers about the purpose and the goal of this operation in Gaza,” said Israela Oron of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
The army said Tuesday its forces had “encircled” Khan Yunis, and “deepened” their operations in the densely populated city after killing dozens of fighters over the past 24 hours.
Witnesses said huge explosions shook Khan Yunis, southern Gaza’s main city, as well as Deir al-Balah in north Gaza and Rafah in the south.
Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said its staff at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis felt the “ground shaking”.
“There is a sense of panic among staff, patients and displaced people sheltering inside the building,” it said on social media platform X.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said Israeli forces had hit its headquarters in Khan Yunis “resulting in injuries among internally displaced individuals who sought safety on our premises”.