Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday his country was paying “a very high price for war” after 14 soldiers died in fighting against the Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip since Friday.
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“We are paying a very high price for the war, but we have no choice but to keep fighting,” Netanyahu said at the opening of a meeting of his government after paying tribute to the slain military man, adding: “The war will .” belong”.
The death of 14 soldiers in the Gaza Strip is one of the highest casualties recorded by the Israeli army in such a short period of time since its ground offensive began on October 27.
According to the army, 153 soldiers have been killed on Palestinian territory since the start of the war, which was sparked by an unprecedented deadly Hamas attack on Israeli soil on October 7.
Another Israeli soldier was killed by fire from Lebanon's Hezbollah movement in the north of the country on Friday, bringing to eight the number of Israeli soldiers killed in that sector since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah-allied Hamas is October 7th.
“Let me be clear: the war will be long. “We will fight to the end – until the hostages are released, until Hamas is eliminated and until we have restored security in both the north and the south,” Mr. Netanyahu added.
During the Hamas attack in Israel, approximately 250 people were also taken hostage and taken to the Gaza Strip. According to the army, 129 of those hostages, some of whom may be dead, are still in Gaza.