The Israeli military announced on Saturday that two of its officers were killed during a battle in the Shuja’iyya neighborhood of Gaza City earlier this week.
In a statement, the Israeli army identified the fallen officers as Captain Roi Miller from the Rotem Battalion and Captain Eli Elisha Lugassi from the 75th Battalion.
The deaths occurred during ongoing military operations in the Shuja’iyya area.
The statement also noted that Israeli forces discovered an arms cache containing long-range rockets and explosives during their operations in Shuja’iyya.
Soldiers found underground tunnel wells and seized additional weapons, indicating renewed efforts by adversaries to establish a base in the area.
Earlier reports from Israeli media confirmed the deaths of two officers from the 121st Battalion of the 8th Brigade in central Gaza on Monday night.
The officers were identified as Reserve Major Nadav Hanan Noller, 30, from Jerusalem, and Reserve Major Eyal Avnion, 25, from Hod Hasharon.
Reports indicated that the officers were killed by an explosive device in the Netzarim junction in central Gaza. An investigation into the circumstances of the incident is currently underway.
The Shuja’iyya neighborhood, located in eastern Gaza City, has been a focal point of intense conflict between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants.
The area has seen frequent clashes and military operations, often resulting in significant casualties and damage.
The discovery of weapons caches and tunnel networks underscores the ongoing efforts by militant groups to fortify their positions and conduct operations against Israeli targets. The conflict in Gaza continues to pose severe humanitarian challenges, with frequent escalations leading to civilian casualties and widespread destruction.
The international community has repeatedly called for measures to de-escalate the situation and address the underlying causes of the conflict.