Eight Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza in one of the deadliest single incidents for Israeli forces since October 7

Eight IDF soldiers have been killed in an “incident” in Rafah on Saturday, according to a statement from the IDF, in one of the deadliest single attacks on Israeli troops since October 7.

Eight Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Gaza on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces says, in one of the deadliest single incidents involving its troops since October 7. The IDF told CNN that the incident is under review and that different possible causes are being looked into. But earlier, Al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said it “carried out a complex ambush against enemy vehicles” operating in Tal al-Sultan, which lies west of the southern city of Rafah. The militant group said it targeted a military bulldozer, which then caught on fire, and killing and wounding the crew. When rescue troops arrived, they then struck an armored personnel carrier, killing the soldiers. Israel’s foreign minister Israel Katz said it had been “a difficult Saturday.” “Eight of our best sons were killed in Rafah,” he said, writing in a post on X. “While knowing the price, they bravely entered Gaza to complete the mission of destroying Hamas and freeing the hostages.”