IDF: Eight Israeli soldiers killed in southern Gaza Strip

The Israel Defense Forces announced on Saturday that eight soldiers killed in southern Gaza Strip in the deadliest attack on Israeli forces in months.

The soldiers were killed in an explosion, the army said, without giving further details. The deaths are likely to fuel calls for a ceasefire and increase Israeli public anger over exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Christians in military service.

In January, 21 Israeli soldiers were killed in a isolated attack by Palestinian militants in Gaza.

Last month, Israel’s Supreme Court ordered an end to state subsidies for many ultra-Orthodox men who do not serve in the army. A new bill has not yet been passed, but the coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu This week, a vote was taken to expand exemptions for religious men. Although the vote was purely procedural, it caused uproar because it was approved during a war in which hundreds of soldiers have died and many more are still fighting in Gaza or on the front lines against Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon.

Israel’s coalition government includes a powerful bloc of ultra-Orthodox parties that have long been Netanyahu’s partners.

Israel’s bombardments and ground offensives in Gaza have killed more than 37,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials, who do not provide a breakdown of civilians and fighters. The war has also displaced about 80% of the 2.3 million residents from their homes, and Israeli restrictions and ongoing fighting have hampered humanitarian aid efforts, fuel hunger on a large scale.

Months of negotiations over a ceasefire have failed to find common ground between Israel and Hamas. On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Hamas had proposed changes to a US-backed plan, some of which he described as “workable” but others not, without elaborating.

Israel launched its campaign after Hamas and other militants invaded Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking about 250 hostage. Last year, over 100 hostages were released during a week-long ceasefire in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel. Hamas is probably holds about 80 hostages and the remains of another 40.

Hamas has repeatedly called for a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza as part of a deal that would result in the release of the hostages. While the proposal announced by US President Joe Biden includes both of these provisions, Hamas has expressed concerns about whether Israel will abide by it.