On Tuesday, the 15th day of Operation Protective Edge, the IDF struck some 200 terrorist targets over the past 24 hours in the Gaza Strip, including more than 100 in the Shejaia neighborhood in the space of a few hours, the army said on Tuesday, as ground forces continued to destroy tunnels and engage Hamas cells in exchanges of fire.
A terrorist cell opened fire on a Givati Brigade infantry unit in Gaza on Tuesday night. Soldiers returned fire, killing the gunmen.
The Paratroop Brigade’s St.-Sgt. Evyatar Turgeman, 20, from Beit She’an, was killed on Tuesday morning in a firefight with terrorists, the IDF said. He was posthumously promoted from the rank of sergeant.
The IDF named one of two soldiers killed on Monday in Gazan gun battles as the Nahal Brigade’s St.-Sgt. Oded Ben-Sira, 22, from Nir Etzion.
The total number of IDF fatalities stands at 27.
Since the start of Operation Protective Edge on July 8, the IDF has attacked 3,000 Gazan terrorist targets, having hit 1,715 since the beginning of the ground offensive on Thursday night, according to the army’s figures. The Palestinian death toll rose to 616, including nearly 100 children and many other civilians, Gaza health officials said.Ya'akov Lappin contributed to this report.