Tel Aviv, Dec 24: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday said that eight more of its soldiers were killed in offensive against Hamas as fighting intensifies in Gaza.

On Saturday, the IDF had announced the death of five more soldiers.

The IDF, in a statement, said that the total soldier killed since October 27 has reached up to 152.

The deceased soldiers have been identified by IDF as: David Bogdanovskyi (19) and Orel Bashan (20) from Haifa; Gal Hershko (20) from Yiftah and Itamar Shemen (22) from Lapid, a paramedic with the brigade.

Master Sgt. (Res.) Nadav Issachar Farhi (30) from Herzliya; Master Sgt. (Res.) Eliyahu Meir Ohana (28) from Haifa both belonged to the Yiftach Brigade, an infantry unit.

Paratroopers, Sgt. First Class (Res.) Elyassaf Shoshan (28) from Jerusalem and Sgt. First Class (Res.) Ohad Ashur (23) from Kfar Yona, were killed in central Gaza.

During the temporary one week truce from November 24 to December 1, between Hamas and Israel, the Hamas released 105 hostages while 129 hostages still remain in Hamas captivity.

The Israelis believe that out of the remaining 129 hostages, at least 20 hostages have died.

There are thousands of Palestinians in Israeli jails who have been held without any trials and access to legal counsel.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club has said that Israeli forces have arrested more than 4,655 people in the occupied West Bank since October 7.

Israel launched a ground offensive inside Gaza on October 27 after Hamas attacked Israel in a surprise attack on October 7 in which 1200 Israelis were killed and over 200 were taken hostage.

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Since the outbreak of hostilities between Hamas and Israel, over 20,057 Palestinians have been killed mostly being children and women while 52,286 Palestinians have been injured.

(IANS)

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