Tel Aviv, Dec 8 (IANS): The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Thursday announced the death of two of its soldiers in the Gaza Strip during war with Hamas, taking the death toll in the ground offensive to 89.
The IDF in a statement said that one of the soldiers killed on Thursday was Master Sgt. (res.) Gal Meir Eisenkot (25) of the 551st Brigade's 699 battalion. He was also the son of former Chief of IDF and present member of Israel war cabinet, Gadi Eisenkot.
The other soldier killed on Thursday was identified as Sgt. Major Jonathan David Deitch (34) of the 55th Brigade's 6623rd Reconnaissance Battalion.
The IDF said that Eisenkot was killed in fight in northern Gaza Strip while Jonathan was killed in southern Gaza Strip. Three other IDF soldiers are seriously injured during fights and admitted to military hospital.