Former Israel-Hamas mediator says Israeli defense officials had urgent meeting on Gaza weeks before Oct. 7

Israel's military has reported the tragic loss of two reserve soldiers in Gaza, bringing the total number of Israeli soldiers killed in the conflict to 970 since its inception. According to a military source, the soldiers perished in an explosion caused by an Israeli army drone. The drone crashed at a military post in the Gaza Strip but failed to detonate. It was subsequently approached by the soldiers, who were killed moments later when the drone exploded. The incident is currently under investigation.

The deceased soldiers, Nadav Kali and Ofek Moalem, were part of the 7007th Battalion, 16th Brigade, both aged 23 and 24 respectively. This incident adds to the growing toll of the war in Gaza, which began in response to the Hamas attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of 970 Israeli soldiers thus far, with seven of those fatalities occurring since the ceasefire was implemented earlier this year.

According to the health ministry in Gaza, which operates under Hamas authority, the war has claimed nearly 74,000 lives. The figures provided by this ministry are considered reliable by the United Nations.