Remarking on the latest Israeli troop deaths, Mr Netanyahu said: "This is a difficult morning, after a very difficult day of fighting in Gaza." But he said his forces would continue with "full force until the end", reiterating his goals of eliminating Hamas and ensuring the safe return of hostages held in Gaza. "Let it be clear: this will be a long war," the Israeli... Read More
Remarking on the latest Israeli troop deaths, Mr Netanyahu said: "This is a difficult morning, after a very difficult day of fighting in Gaza." But he said his forces would continue with "full force until the end", reiterating his goals of eliminating Hamas and ensuring the safe return of hostages held in Gaza.
"Let it be clear: this will be a long war," the Israeli prime minister added.
The military's 154th death was announced later that day: tank commander Maj Aryeh Rein.
In a separate statement, the military said it had killed more than 8,000 Palestinian fighters during its campaign to date - in remarks quoted by the Reuters news agency. Read Less
