Gaza: 4 soldiers injured, 3 Palestinians killed
Fighting takes first toll, claims life of one Israeli soldier, leaves another critically injured. Over 25 troops sustain minor injuries in various clashes with Gaza gunmen
Four IDF soldiers sustained minor gunshot wounds by Hamas snipers Sunday night and were medevaced to Israeli hospitals.
Operation Cast Lead's ninth day and the first of its ground incursion, saw the offensive's first fatality – Golani Staff-Sergeant Dvir Emanuelof (22). Over 30 other soldiers suffered minor to serious injuries in clashes with gunmen.
Three soldiers, who were seriously injured, were admitted to the Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, while 25 others were rushed to the Soroka University Medical Center in Beersheba and four to the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon.
One soldier suffered critical injuries and was rushed to Soroka as well.
Palestinian sources in the Strip reported that two Palestinians were killed in an IDF operation in the east Gaza Strip neighborhood of Zeitun Sunday evening, and a third in a strike on Northern Gaza Strip neighborhood of Tel az-Zaatar.
The IDF said that according to assessments, over 50 Hamas operatives have been killed and dozens more wounded since the Gaza incursion began.
Military sources added that the campaign was progressing according to plan and that all forces are executing their missions as scheduled.
The forces in the field, added the sources, have already had a myriad of clashes with Hamas forces, which use a variety of weapons and explosives against them.
Hanan Greenberg, Ronen Medzini and Ali Waked contributed to this report
