In brief
The Israeli military reported the death of seven soldiers due to an explosive device in southern Gaza, marking the deadliest single incident for Israeli forces in the region since the breakdown of a cease-fire in March.
On June 25, 2025, the Israeli military confirmed that seven soldiers were killed by an explosive device in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, the previous day. This incident marks the highest casualty toll for the Israeli forces in a single event since the cease-fire with Hamas ended in March. The soldiers were part of a combat engineering battalion focused on locating and demolishing tunnels used by militants.Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, the Israeli military's chief spokesman, described the incident as a painful moment for the nation and stated that the event is still under investigation. The Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing, claimed responsibility for targeting Israeli soldiers in Khan Younis, although it was unclear if they were referring to the deceased soldiers.This violence comes after the war in Gaza escalated following a deadly attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and around 250 individuals taken hostage. The toll on Gaza has also been severe, with Palestinian health authorities reporting over 50,000 fatalities since the conflict's onset.
