Israel announced the death of 169 soldiers, killed in the war against Hamas

“Until this morning, we have notified the families of 169 fallen Israeli soldiers,” army spokesman Daniel Hagari told reporters, adding that the families of 60 kidnapped and taken to Gaza have also been contacted.

“This shows the extent of the fighting in the region,” Mr. Hagari said. “They intended to conquer territory, not just invade and return to Gaza,” he added.

“There are individuals who remained on the ground. During the past day, we killed 18 terrorists,” said Hagari.

Israel is in shock after a major offensive launched by Hamas on Saturday killed at least 1,200 people in Israel, the deadliest attack in the country’s 75-year history.

In the Gaza Strip, the death toll rose to 1,055, according to a report revised upwards on Wednesday.

“We have at least 1,055 martyrs and 5,184 people who suffered various injuries,” the Palestinian Ministry of Health said.