The Israeli military announced the death of a soldier from the Nahal Brigade on Friday, killed by sniper fire from Hamas fighters during clashes in the southern Gaza Strip.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that 19-year-old Sergeant Eyal Shenhav from Kibbutz Afik was fatally shot by Hamas snipers in Rafah, southern Gaza.
The statement noted that Shenhav belonged to the 931st Battalion of the Nahal Brigade. His family has been notified, and he was posthumously promoted from Corporal to Sergeant.
This incident raises the total number of Israeli military casualties to 668 since October 7.
Additionally, the IDF launched a large-scale military operation in the Shuja’iyya neighborhood of eastern Gaza City. According to Haaretz, the operation involves the 98th Division targeting both above and below ground based on intelligence reports.
The 7th Brigade initiated focused operations in Shuja’iyya during the day, followed by paratrooper forces conducting nighttime raids on infrastructure in the area.
The military operation was preceded by several significant airstrikes in northern Gaza, targeting schools and UNRWA facilities allegedly used by militants.
On Thursday, the IDF urged residents of Shuja’iyya and other neighborhoods in Gaza City to evacuate as the military continued its bombardment, leading to the displacement of tens of thousands of civilians.
The IDF advised residents of Shuja’iyya, Turkmen, and Tuffah neighborhoods to immediately move south to Salah al-Din Street for their safety.
