Israel Reports Deadliest Day in Gaza in Months as Seven Soldiers Killed in Bombing Attack
- Victor Nwoko
- Jun 25
- 3 min read
Israel on Wednesday reported one of its deadliest days in Gaza in recent months, with seven soldiers killed in a bombing attack on an armored vehicle in Khan Younis. The Israeli military said a Palestinian fighter attached an explosive device to the vehicle, causing a deadly blast that also wounded another soldier in a separate incident.
The army confirmed the soldiers were operating in Khan Younis, a focal point of fighting in the ongoing conflict with Hamas. Brigadier General Effie Defrin, the Israeli army’s chief spokesman, said helicopters and rescue teams were dispatched to the scene but were unable to save the soldiers. Hamas claimed responsibility, alleging its fighters ambushed Israeli troops hiding in a residential building.
Over 860 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the war began, including more than 400 in ground operations inside Gaza. The war erupted on October 7, 2023, after Hamas launched a surprise attack that killed around 1,200 people in Israel—mostly civilians—and took 251 hostages. Approximately 50 hostages remain in captivity, with at least 20 believed to still be alive.
In response, Israel launched a sustained military campaign in Gaza. On Wednesday, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that 79 Palestinians were killed in the previous 24 hours, including 33 people who died while trying to access aid. Palestinian witnesses and health officials accuse Israeli forces of firing on crowds seeking food. Israel says its forces only fire warning shots at individuals approaching military positions suspiciously.
The Gaza Health Ministry said the total Palestinian death toll in the war has surpassed 56,000—more than half of them women and children. Since Israel resumed operations on March 18 after a two-month ceasefire collapsed, at least 5,759 Palestinians have been reported killed. The ministry does not distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths.
Israel claims it targets Hamas militants and blames civilian casualties on the group’s operations within densely populated civilian areas. The Israeli military estimates that over 20,000 Hamas fighters have been killed, though no evidence has been presented to verify the figure. Hamas has not released its own casualty numbers.
As the humanitarian crisis deepens, reports indicate Gaza’s population is on the brink of famine due to the ongoing Israeli blockade and military offensives.
In the midst of the worsening situation, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism over Gaza ceasefire negotiations, saying at the NATO summit that “great progress” was being made and hinting at a potential breakthrough.
Palestinians in Gaza expressed frustration that the Israel-Iran conflict, which ended after 12 days with a fragile ceasefire, received quicker resolution, while their own suffering has lasted nearly two years.
“I live in a tent and now my tent is gone too,” said Um Zidan, a displaced resident. “The war between Israel and Iran ended in less than two weeks and we’ve been dying for two years.”
Mazen al-Jomla, displaced from Shati refugee camp, added: “What do they [Israel] have left here? There are no houses, trees, or people left. Everything was destroyed.”
In a separate incident in east Jerusalem, Israeli forces shot and killed 66-year-old Palestinian woman Zahia Al-Obeidi during a raid on Shuafat refugee camp. Her husband, Joudah Al-Obeidi, said she was on the rooftop of their home when she was fatally shot. Israeli police claimed their forces responded to “rioters” throwing rocks during the operation and are investigating the shooting.
Israeli authorities stated the woman arrived at a checkpoint with “serious penetrating injuries” and was pronounced dead. Local Palestinian officials allege Israeli troops killed her with a gunshot to the head and removed her body.
Israel captured east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war and considers it part of its capital—a claim not internationally recognized. Palestinians seek east Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state.
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