Senior commander, Indian-origin youth among 19 Israeli soldiers killed during Gaza ground invasion

News Network
November 3, 2023

israeli.jpg

Israeli tanks and troops have met fierce resistance from Hamas fighters using mortars and hit-and-run attacks from tunnels to fight off Tel Aviv's ground invasion of Gaza City after nearly four weeks of bombardments.

Fighters of Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad were emerging from tunnels to fire at tanks, then disappearing back into the network, residents said and videos from both groups showed Thursday, in guerrilla-style operations against Israeli troops. 

"They never stopped bombing Gaza City all night, the house never stopped shaking," Reuters quoted an unnamed man living there. "But in the morning we discover the Israeli forces are still outside the city, in the outskirts and that means the resistance is heavier than they expected."

Military commanders said Israeli troops were "at the gates of Gaza City". Herzi Halevi, chief of the general staff of the Israeli military, said Israeli troops were fighting in a dense and complex urban area, that required professional combat.

“This is certainly terrain that is more heavily sown than in the past with minefields and booby-traps. Hamas has learned and prepared itself well,” said Brigadier General Iddo Mizrahi, chief of Israel's military engineers.

The Israeli army said Palestinian fighters killed a commander of an armored brigade's battalion in Gaza. Lt Col Salman Habaka is among the 19 soldiers killed in Gaza in two days of heavy fighting.

He is the most senior Israeli soldier to be killed since the ground invasion escalated on Tuesday. 

An Israeli soldier was seriously wounded in an "incident" on the Egyptian border, Israeli media said, citing the army. 

Lebanon's Hezbollah said two drones attacked an Israeli military position in the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms on Thursday.  

In a brief communique, the group said the two drones used "a large amount of explosives" and hit their targets with "high accuracy".

Earlier on Thursday, sirens warning of incoming rockets sounded in northern Israel.  

Hamas rockets launched from Lebanon wounded at least two people and caused damage in the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona.

Footage shared on Israel's Channel 13 showed cars and shops on fire as a result of the rocket. 

Hamas said in a statement on Thursday that its armed wing in Lebanon had launched 12 rockets into the city. 

Israel’s military authorities have stressed the difficulties of urban warfare. Their strategy for now seems to be concentrating large forces in the northern Gaza Strip rather than launching a ground invasion on the entire territory.

Indian-origin Israeli soldier killed

Among the Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza, a 20-year-old soldier identified by the Israeli military is believed to be of Indian-origin.

Staff-Sgt. Halel Solomon, who hailed from the southern Israeli Dimona town, was killed when a Namer armoured personnel carrier he was in was hit by an anti-tank guided missile fired by Hamas on Wednesday (Nov 1), the IDF said, according to Times of Israel newspaper.

At least 11 soldiers from the Givati Infantry Brigade’s Tzabar Battalion were killed in that incident.

Dimona's Mayor Benny Bitton expressed condolences to Solomon’s family in his Facebook post.

“It is with great sorrow and grief that we announce the death of a son of Dimona, Halel Solomon, in the battle in Gaza,” Dimona's Mayor, Benny Bitton said in a Facebook post.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
Agencies
February 3,2025

The Indian rupee plummeted to a historic low of 87.29 per dollar on Monday. This decline is attributed to escalating trade tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump amid global market uncertainties.

Having already depreciated over 1.5% this year, the rupee's latest tumble is regarded as a repercussion of tariff measures enforced by the US government. The currency opened with a substantial gap-down of 43 paise, hitting a low of 87.29 before rebounding to 87.13 following a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) intervention. 

Currency expert KN Dey explained to ANI that the tariff war, ignited by the US against Canada, Mexico, and China, is responsible for the rupee's decline. KN Dey noted, "Rupee opened with a gap of 43 paisa which was one of the highest gap openings, touched a new low of 87.29, but is now trading at 87.13 due to RBI intervention."

The situation remains fluid as President Trump has also hinted at possible tariffs on BRICS nations, including India. KN Dey cautioned, "Though Trump has been threatening BRICS countries also, it remains as to when he would press the button. This could be a knee-jerk reaction on the Rupee, but it's better to wait and watch for a couple of days." 

On a broader scale, this pressure on the rupee is mirrored by a strengthening US dollar against global currencies. Monday saw the Canadian dollar and Mexican peso dip to multi-year lows and the Chinese yuan weaken to a historic low. The US government announced an imminent 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on Chinese goods.

Market analysts suggest this may be a short-term reaction, with investors advised to observe how circumstances develop. The unfolding situation is anticipated to shape market movements significantly.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
February 12,2025

gazahero.jpg

The family of Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, director of Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital, says he has been subjected to “severe torture and mistreatment” following his arrest by Israeli forces in late December.

Abu Safiya’s family, citing his lawyer, said in a post on X on Wednesday that he endured harsh conditions in the first days of his detention in Israeli jails and was held in solitary confinement for 24 days before being transferred to Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank, where he continues to face poor treatment.

According to Abu Safiya's family, he suffers from chronic high blood pressure and an enlarged heart muscle.

His family added that although Abu Safiya is currently receiving treatment, he is only given one meal per day which is "inadequate” and of very poor quality.

“Regarding his legal case, it is clean, and there are no charges against him,” his family said, adding that all accusations attributed to him have been denied due to lack of evidence and the case is clear.

His family noted that Abu Safiya’s release could be imminent in the coming stages of the prisoner exchange, as the Israeli prosecutors have not filed any charges.

Abu Safiya’s family further called on the international community to pressure Israel to provide adequate food and medicine for him and secure his immediate release.

In late December, Israeli forces raided Kamal Adwan Hospital, forcing patients and medical staff to leave while detaining the rest.

Dr. Abu Safiya, 51, was among those taken for questioning by the Israeli military over alleged links to the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas.

He has already called for international intervention to secure his release and that of all detained medical personnel, stressing that healthcare workers must be protected, their rights upheld, and their immediate release ensured. 

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
February 5,2025

Belagavi: In a horrific act of rage, a man brutally stoned his wife to death at Upparatti village in Gokak taluk of Karnataka on Tuesday night. 

The accused, Balaji Kabali from Maharashtra, has been arrested, police said.

Kabali, along with his wife Meerabai (25) and family, worked as sugarcane harvesters. Following a heated altercation, he fatally attacked Meerabai before making video calls to relatives.

A heartbreaking scene unfolded as their two-year-old child was seen trying to wake up his mother, unaware of the tragedy.

Authorities have launched a detailed investigation into the incident.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.