Update: The IDF has announced that a fourth soldier, Sgt. Michael Ruzal, 18, from Rishon Lezion was killed in the Hamas attack.
Three Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers tragically lost their lives in yesterday’s Hamas missile strike near the Kerem Shalom border crossing.
In a statement by the IDF, Staff Sgt. Ruben Marc Mordechai Assouline, 19, from Ra’anana, together with Staff Sgt. Ido Testa, 19, from Jerusalem, and Staff Sgt. Tal Shavit, 21, from Kfar Giladi, were killed when Hamas rockets exploded near their military base adjacent to the Kerem Shalom border crossing on Sunday.
Another 11 soldiers were injured in the missile attack that originated from Rafah, including two soldiers listed in serious condition. In response, the IDF carried out air strikes in Rafah, including hitting the rocket launchers that were nestled within civilian areas. One airstrike hit a house in Rafah, killing seven people, while another house strike just before midnight killed nine Arabs, according to the Times of Israel.
Meanwhile, Israel has indicated it could soon launch an offensive in Rafah if Hamas does not accept a US-mediated 6-week ceasefire proposal. Both the IDF’s 162nd and 98th brigades have reportedly been undergoing rigorous training in recent weeks in preparation for a major operation to wipe out the remaining Hamas battalions in the city.
