Hamas captures 1, kills two Israeli soldiers

Israeli soldiers carry one of their injured comrades near the Gaza Strip. (File photo)

Israeli military sources have confirmed that two more of their soldiers are killed and one is captured by Palestinian resistance fighters in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Israeli army says the soldiers were killed by Hamas fighters who infiltrated deep into Israel. Several troops were also injured during the ensuing battle and firefight.

The Israeli army also says one of its soldiers was captured by Palestinian resistance fighters in southern town of Rafah.

The Palestinian fighters also clashed with Israeli soldiers in Rafah. Tel Aviv says several soldiers were wounded, two of them critically.

The captured soldier has been identified as Hadar Goldin, 23, and is a second lieutenant.

Earlier, the military wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, said it had captured an Israeli soldier. A Hamas official said the soldier was captured before a temporary ceasefire came into effect on Friday.

The developments come as the Israeli military has now decided to implement the Hannibal Directive. The order allows any action necessary to release captured soldiers, including endangering their lives, to resolve the situation.

Israeli military says it has so far lost nearly 61 of its troops in clashes with Palestinian resistance fighters, but Hamas says over 146 Israeli soldiers have been killed in the past 24 days. This is seen as the heaviest loss of life for the Israeli military in years.

The rising death toll of Israeli forces during the ongoing assaults on the Gaza Strip has prompted growing opposition to the war among the Israeli public.

Nearly 1,500 Palestinians have so far been killed and over 8,000 others injured since the Israeli military first launched its offensive against Gaza on July 8.

Source