Seven Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza blast

Seven Israeli soldiers were killed and one seriously wounded when an armored personnel carrier exploded in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred on the evening of June 24. According to the IDF, the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device that detonated beneath a "Puma" APC operated by the 605th Combat Engineering Battalion of the Barak Brigade. The explosion triggered a fire inside the vehicle, which was later towed back into Israeli territory.

The military is investigating why the blast caused such extensive damage. The IDF said the death toll among Israeli troops since October 7, 2023, has now reached 878.