JERUSALEM, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Two Israeli reserve soldiers were killed in a clash with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday.
Kalkidan Mehar, 37, and Ido Aviv, 28, were killed "in a battle" in the central Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said.
The Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, said in a statement via Telegram that the soldiers were killed in two separate ambushes, one in the Al-Mughraqa area in the central Gaza Strip and the other in the "Netzarim axis," a zone that separates the northern and southern Palestinian enclave.
The Al-Qassam Brigades said that several other soldiers were wounded in the attack, whereas Israel said that one other soldier sustained serious injuries.
A total of 608 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict on Oct. 7, 2023. ■
