10 IDF soldiers fall in battle, no cease-fire in sight

10 IDF soldiers fall in battle, no cease-fire in sight

IDF death toll rises to 53 • Five IDF soldiers killed by Hamas terrorists who infiltrated into Israel through tunnel near Nahal Oz • Four soldiers killed in mortar strike on staging area near border • One soldier killed in RPG attack in southern Gaza.

Israel Hayom Staff

A wounded Israeli soldier is evacuated from the Gaza border area, Monday | Photo credit: Albert Sadikov / JINI

After a spate of deadly Hamas attacks on Monday, it appears there is no end in sight for Operation Protective Edge. In Monday's attacks, ten Israeli soldiers were killed, raising the IDF death toll during the operation to 53.

On Monday night, a group of Hamas terrorists infiltrated into Israel through a tunnel under the border near Nahal Oz. The terrorists fired an anti-tank missile at an IDF position, killing five soldiers. In an ensuing exchange of fire, one of the terrorists was killed, while the rest escaped back to Gaza.

The terrorists reportedly tried to abduct the body of one of the dead soldiers, but this attempt was thwarted.

The soldiers killed in the incident were identified as Sgt. Daniel Kedmi, 18; Sgt. Barkey Ishai Shor, 21; Sgt. Sagi Erez, 19; Sgt. Dor Dery, 18, and Sgt. Nadav Raimond, 19.

Credit: Reuters
Earlier on Monday, a mortar shell fired from Gaza struck an IDF staging area near the border in the Eshkol region. Four soldiers, all from the Armored Corps, were killed. They were identified as Staff Sgt. Eliav Eliyahu Haim Kahlon, 22; Staff Sgt. Adi Briga, 23; Cpl. Meidan Maymon Biton, 20; Cpl. Niran Cohen, 20.

The Homefront Command on Monday again instructed civilians not to approach IDF staging areas near the border. In these areas, rockets and mortars can strike with little or no warning, due to the close proximity to Gaza.

Also on Monday, Staff Sgt. Moshe Davino, 20, was killed in southern Gaza when terrorists fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a D9 bulldozer. The terrorists subsequently entered a nearby house. An IDF bulldozer then toppled the house, killing eight of the terrorists. Two other terrorists were arrested by Givati Brigade soldiers.

In both Gaza and the West Bank on Monday evening, Palestinians held joyous demonstrations after learning of the Israeli deaths. But, at least in Gaza, the celebrations were short-lived, as the Israel Defense Forces warned residents of the Shujaiyya, Jabaliya and Zeitoun neighborhoods to leave their homes to avoid potential harm in Israeli military strikes. Shortly afterward, there were Palestinian reports of heavy IDF artillery fire in Gaza's eastern neighborhoods. Also, there were reported Israeli strikes on the homes of Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials in the luxurious Rimal neighborhood of Gaza.

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