December 8, 2023
The Latest: The IDF reported today that it hit 450 sites in Gaza over the past day. As fighting continues, five more IDF soldiers have been killed, bringing the total number of IDF casualties since the ground offensive began to 91. See details of all the fallen soldiers here. An anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon struck and killed an Israeli civilian in the northern border town of Mattat yesterday. The man in his 60s was treated by Magen David Adom medics near the scene who were forced to declare his death. By Thursday, the IDF said that its troops had surrounded Khan Younis, the largest city in southern Gaza, (and a center of Hamas’ power) and had also advanced inside the city. All restrictions have been lifted regarding the resumption of schools in the center of Israel. Until now, schools could only open if students could reach shelters within the allotted time when sirens rang. Israeli authorities have now identified a total of 274 soldiers and 859 civilians killed during the brutal October 7 assaults. The latter figure includes 57 Israel Police officers and 38 local security officers. It is unclear which of these individuals were on duty when killed. Removing those victims leaves a figure of 764 civilians. Read additional details about the demographics and nature of those murdered.