An Israeli army soldier stands next to artillery shells at a position along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on November 1, 2023, amid ongoing battles between Israeli forces and Palestinian fighters.AFP
Another four soldiers were wounded in the same incident, including one seriously.
On Tuesday, two soldiers from the Israeli military's Givati Brigade were killed during ground operations in Gaza.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant issued a statement on the death of the nine soldiers killed in fighting in northern Gaza.
“The fall of Israeli army fighters in the battles against Hamas terrorists in Gaza is a hard and painful blow. Our hearts and thoughts are with their dear families,” Gallant said.
“The significant achievements of the heavy fighting in the depths of the Gaza Strip, unfortunately, exact a heavy price,” he added.
“We are prepared and ready for a long and complex campaign that requires courage, determination, and perseverance — we will win,” the minister affirmed.
In recent days, Israeli troops have advanced toward the outskirts of Gaza City from the north and east. Israeli officials say Hamas' military infrastructure, including hundreds of kilometres (miles) of tunnels, is concentrated in the city, which was home to some 650,000 people before the war.
Israel has been vague about its operations in Gaza, but residents and spokesmen for militant groups say troops appear to be trying to take control of the two main north-south roads.
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