Israel has publicly revealed its military losses as the conflict escalates, shedding light on the toll of ongoing hostilities in the region.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has released a detailed list of casualties, indicating that it has lost at least 726 troops since the onset of the war in Gaza a year ago. Additionally, over 4,500 soldiers have been injured during this time period.
According to a statement by the IDF on Sunday, approximately 726 Israeli soldiers, reservists, and security officers have lost their lives since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict one year ago this Monday. Among them, 346 were killed in ground operations in Gaza that commenced on October 27 last year.
These losses represent the most severe experienced by Israel in any military conflict since the 1973 Yom Kippur War, which resulted in over 2,600 Israeli soldiers losing their lives. According to the IDF, the current count only includes those “whose names have been permitted for publication,” indicating that the actual number could be considerably higher.
The IDF reported that out of the 726 fatalities, 56 resulted from friendly fire or other “operational accidents.”
According to the statement, 4,576 Israeli troops have been injured since the war began, with 2,300 of these injuries occurring during ground operations in Gaza.
The IDF statement did not specify the number of Israeli soldiers killed in Lebanon. Meanwhile, Hezbollah asserts that its fighters have slain over 25 Israeli personnel since the IDF entered southern Lebanon on Tuesday and accuses the Israeli government of minimizing its losses.
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On October 7, 2023, Hamas initiated an unexpected assault on Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,100 individuals and the capture of nearly 250 hostages who were taken to Gaza. In reaction to this attack, Israel declared war on Hamas and commenced a vigorous bombing campaign targeting the Palestinian enclave. Three weeks later, a ground operation ensued. After a year-long conflict that followed these events; according to reports from Gaza’s health ministry—the death toll among Palestinians has risen to almost 42,000 people which includes primarily women and children.
According to the UN, the ministry’s reported casualty figures are deemed accurate but do not distinguish between civilians and militants. In a statement released on Sunday, the IDF asserted that it has eliminated approximately 17,000 members of Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza since last October. If these numbers hold true, then for every militant killed by IDF forces, about 2.4 civilians have also lost their lives.
The IDF reported that around 800 “terrorists” have been killed in Lebanon and on the Israel-Lebanon border, with approximately 90 of them identified as Hezbollah commanders. Amid ongoing Israeli ground operations and airstrikes in Lebanon, the country’s health ministry reports that since last October, over 2,000 people have died, including more than 100 children.
