Israeli ‘friendly fire’ kills five soldiers in Gaza, IDF confirm

By Nathan Morley

This is one of the deadliest incidents of its kind since the war against Hamas erupted last year. Described as an ‘operational accident,’ the IDF confirmed five troops serving in a paratrooper brigade were killed in Jabalia camp as a result of friendly fire on Wednesday.

Seven other soldiers were injured by tank fire, three of them remain in a serious condition.

Elsewhere, the Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has told the American Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel's assaults on Rafah are unacceptable. The Turkish diplomat also emphasized the importance of an urgent and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

Meanwhile, dozens of rockets were fired by Hezbollah in Lebanon at northern Israel on Thursday in revenge for overnight Israeli airstrikes in eastern Lebanon.

Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border have escalated since last October.