GAZA CITY, Palestine / ISTANBUL

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas said Wednesday that an Israeli soldier was killed and seven others were injured in an attack in the southern Gaza.

The group’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, said that its fighters targeted an Israeli force with an anti-personnel mine in eastern Rafah, killing and injuring eight soldiers.

An Israeli helicopter was seen evacuating injured soldiers from the site after the attack, Hamas said.

There was no immediate Israeli comment on Hamas’ statement.

Despite more than 21 months since the start of the genocidal war on Oct. 7, 2023, Palestinian resistance factions continue to conduct well-planned ambushes in the area, inflicting casualties on Israeli forces, showcasing Tel Aviv’s inability to achieve its war objectives.

According to Israeli military figures, at least 895 Israeli soldiers have been killed and 6,112 injured since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023.

Israel has killed more than 59,200 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in the Gaza Strip since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, collapsed the health system, and led to severe food shortages.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.