GAZA/ ISRAEL - Clashes between Hamas and the Israeli military continued in multiple parts of the Gaza Strip on Saturday.
Hamas’ military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, said Saturday that its fighters were “engaged in fierce battles from zero distance with occupation forces west of Jabalia camp,” in the north of Gaza. It also claimed clashes occurred in Zaytoun, which is in northern Gaza as well. Jabalya has seen several days of fierce fighting, plus Israeli airstrikes. The Israel Defense Forces said the 931st Battalion received information about Hamas militants occupying buildings in the area. The Israel Defense Forces announced that four more soldiers were killed in battles inside the Gaza Strip. One of them, Maor Cohen Eisenkot, was the nephew of government minister Gadi Eisenkot, whose son Gal was killed in northern Gaza on Thursday. Maor Cohen Eisenkot, 19, was a soldier of the Golani Brigade. He was killed Friday, the IDF said. All four of the soldiers killed were fighting in the southern Gaza Strip. So far, 96 IDF soldiers have died in battle inside the Gaza Strip, according to the military. The IDF statement also said 12 soldiers were severely injured over the weekend during fighting inside the strip, and two soldiers were severely injured Friday by Hezbollah fire from Lebanon.
