Israeli army announces death of two soldiers in Khan Younis

Two Israeli soldiers, members of the 51st battalion of the Golani infantry brigade, were killed Saturday in the southern Gaza Strip, the Israeli army said Sunday.

They were killed when their armored vehicle exploded, caused by an improvised explosive device detonated by a Palestinian fighter "emerging from a tunnel" in Khan Younis (south), according to military correspondents from several Israeli media outlets.

The previous day, a 32-year-old soldier from the 749th engineering battalion, who was wounded by an explosive device last week in Khan Younis, also died, according to the same source.

"The State of Israel has lost three young heroes, some of its best sons, who worked for the security of the state and for the return of all our hostages," said Defense Minister Israel Katz on X.

According to the Israeli army, 462 of its soldiers have been killed during the ground military offensive against the Gaza Strip launched on Oct. 27, 2023.