From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
PM mourns deaths of soldiers in Gaza: ‘We must learn the necessary lessons’
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Israel will “will not stop fighting until absolute victory,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says following the deaths of 21 Israel Defense Forces soldiers in Gaza yesterday.
The prime minister says in a statement that he that he mourns their passing and wishes “to strengthen the dear families of our heroic warriors who fell on the battlefield. I know that for these families, their lives will be changed forever.”
“The IDF has launched an investigation into the disaster. We must learn the necessary lessons and do everything to preserve the lives of our warriors,” he continues. “In the name of our heroes, for our lives, we will not stop fighting until absolute victory.”
Twenty-one soldiers were killed in central Gaza yesterday when two buildings collapsed following a large blast and Hamas operatives fired an RPG at a tank.
In addition, the deaths of three officers in fighting were previously announced.
