Five Israeli soldiers aged between 19 and 23 have been killed in fighting in the north of the Gaza Strip.
Eight other soldiers were seriously wounded, the army said on Monday. The soldiers were all part of a reconnaissance battalion. No further details have yet been provided.
It brings the number of Israeli soldiers killed since the beginning of the Gaza war and in fighting with the Lebanese Hezbollah militia to 840.
The war was triggered by the massacre carried out by Hamas and other Palestinian extremists from the Gaza Strip in Israel on October 7, 2023, which left 1,200 dead and resulted in 251 being taken hostage.
Both sides in the conflict say there has recently been significant progress in the talks on a ceasefire for the Gaza Strip and the release of the hostages in the hands of Hamas.
However, no breakthrough in the months-long mediation efforts has been announced so far.
