10 Israel troops killed by Hamas in highest single-day loss since October

Israeli forces suffered their worst single-day losses in over a month during a bloody Hamas ambush — which also claimed the life of the highest ranking officer killed since fighting broke out, officials announced Wednesday.

A total of 10 Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldiers were killed in Gaza in the past 24 hours, including 44-year-old Col. Itzhak Ben Basat, according to the Times of Israel.

Many of the troops were killed in Gaza City’s Shejaia district, when they were surprised by Hamas terrorists while trying to rescue another group of soldiers, according to Reuters.

It was the worst single-day loss the IDF had since October 31, when 15 troops were killed.

Hamas proudly flaunted news of the casualties, claiming they demonstrated Israel’s inability to bring Gaza to its knees.

“The longer you stay there, the greater the bill of your deaths and losses will be, and you will emerge from it carrying the tail of disappointment and loss, God willing,” the terrorist organization said.

Heavy fighting continued throughout the day in both north and southern Gaza.

Bombing runs were flown by Israeli warplanes across the length of the territory, while winter rains created wet fighting conditions for troops on the ground.

The rains also raised humanitarian alarms for the 2.3 million Gazans who have been left homeless by the fighting, hundreds of thousands of whom have resorted to living in makeshift tents.

“Our house was destroyed, our child was martyred and I remain facing it all,” said Yasmin Mhani, who was hanging soaked clothing outside the tent she and he family are living in.

Mhani, who is sharing a single blanket with her family of five, said she woke up in the night to find her seven-month-old child soaking wet.

“This is the fifth place we have had to move to, fleeing from one place to another, with nothing but a t-shirt on,” she said.

President Biden has said Israel’s campaign to eradicate Hamas from Gaza is beginning to erode the tide of global sympathy they held after the terror group attacked the Jewish homeland on October 7.

“They’re starting to lose that support by indiscriminate bombing that takes place,” Biden said at a donor event on Tuesday.

Though he insisted “most of the world” still supports Israel, he said he’d advised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “don’t make the same mistakes we made in 9/11” and become embroiled in the kind of conflict the US found in Afghanistan.

Shortly after, the United Nations General Assembly passed a vote demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Just eight nations voted with the US and Israel against the resolution, which has no legal power.

Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said 18,608 people have died since Israel began its retaliatory strikes against the city. Another 50,594 have been wounded, the ministry said.