Israeli military says five soldiers were killed in an attack in northern Gaza

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Five Israeli soldiers were killed in an attack in Gaza, the Israeli military said Tuesday.

An Israeli security official said explosive devices were detonated against the soldiers during an operation in the Beit Hanoun area in northern Gaza, which was an early target of the war and an area where Israel has repeatedly fought regrouping Hamas terrorists.

Terrorists also opened fire on the forces who were evacuating the wounded soldiers, the official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to discuss the incident with the media.

The military said 14 soldiers were wounded in the attack, two of them seriously. It brings the toll of soldiers killed to 888 since the war against Hamas began in 2023.

The soldiers were killed roughly two weeks after Israel reported one of its deadliest days in months in Gaza, when seven soldiers were killed after a Palestinian attacker attached a bomb to their armored vehicle.

In a statement, Netanyahu sent his condolences for the deaths, saying the soldiers fell “in a campaign to defeat Hamas and to free all of our hostages.”

President Donald Trump has made clear that, following last month’s 12-day war between Israel and Iran, he would like to see the 21-month Gaza conflict end soon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington this week may give new urgency to the ceasefire proposal.

White House officials are urging both sides to quickly seal an agreement that would bring about a 60-day pause in the fighting, send aid flooding into Gaza, and free at least some of the remaining 50 hostages held in the territory, 20 of whom are believed to be living.

A senior Israeli official said that 80-90% of the details had been ironed out and that a final agreement could be days away. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the sensitive negotiations with the media.

A sticking point has been whether the ceasefire will end the war altogether. Hamas has said it is willing to free all the hostages in exchange for an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Netanyahu says the war will end once Hamas surrenders, disarms, and goes into exile — something it refuses to do.

The war began when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and abducting 251 others. Most have been released in earlier ceasefires. Israel responded with an offensive that has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, according to claims by Gaza’s Hamas-controlled Health Ministry. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.