The Israeli army announced on Sunday evening the death of one of its soldiers and injuries to three others in Kessufim, east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip. The army stated, "One soldier was killed, another was moderately injured, and two others sustained minor injuries due to an anti-tank missile fired at an Israeli tank and engineering vehicle."
The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced on Sunday the destruction of an Israeli tank and two bulldozers in an ambush east of Khan Younis. They added that Qassam fighters engaged with the infiltrating force, destroyed two bulldozers and a tank, and forced the troops to retreat safely to their bases. The Brigades reported that the Israeli soldiers caught in the ambush in Khan Younis abandoned their vehicles and fled eastward on foot.
Additionally, the Israeli army announced its intention to intensify strikes against Gaza in preparation for the next phase of its assault on the Hamas-controlled territory. Israeli army spokesman General Daniel Hagari stated, "We must enter the next phase of the war under the best possible conditions and will intensify strikes to minimize the risk."
