IDF soldier killed in Gaza fighting, bringing toll in military offensive to 430

An Israel Defense Forces soldier was killed Saturday during fighting in the southern Gaza Strip, the military announced.

Sgt. First Class (res.) Noam Shemesh, 21, from Jerusalem, was a squad commander in the Kfir Brigade’s Shimshon Battalion.

Shemesh was killed by RPG fire in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, according to an initial probe, the military said Sunday morning. Another soldier was lightly injured in the incident.

Shemesh’s death raised the death toll to 430 in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and in military operations along the border with the Strip. The toll includes two police officers and three Defense Ministry civilian contractors.

His death came just over a week after four soldiers were killed, also in Khan Younis.

Israel launched its campaign in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Terror groups in Gaza continue to hold 53 hostages, including the bodies of at least 33 confirmed dead by the IDF, and 20 who are believed to be alive. There are grave concerns for the well-being of three others, Israeli officials have said.

On Saturday, the IDF said that the Gaza war has been downgraded to the secondary arena after Israel last Thursday began strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. As the strikes continued against what Israel says is an existential threat, Iran has fired barrages of missiles at Israel, killing at least ten people overnight Saturday and injuring over 200 in the northern and central regions of the country.