Another Israeli officer killed in clashes in central Gaza Strip: Army

JERUSALEM

The Israeli army announced Saturday the death of a reserve officer in clashes in the central Gaza Strip, raising the death toll of the country's military to 187 since its ground operation in the Palestinian enclave began.

“Reserve officer Captain Dan Videnbaum, 24 years old from the city of Ra'anana, was killed in clashes in the central Gaza Strip. He served in the 5037 Battalion of the Yiftach Brigade,” the army said in a statement.​​​​​​​

According to data published on the Israeli army's website, as of Saturday evening, 521 Israeli officers and soldiers have been killed in the ongoing fighting since Oct. 7, including 187 since the start of the ground war in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 27.

Meanwhile, the war's destruction in Gaza has left 23,843 Palestinians dead and 60,317 injured, along with massive destruction of infrastructure and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, according to the authorities in the enclave and the UN.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala