Tel Aviv, Jan 9 (IANS): The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday announced the death of four more soldiers in the war against Hamas in Gaza, taking the total number of troopers killed in the ground offensive to 180.

The deceased soldiers have been identified as Sgt. Roi Tal (19) from Kfir Brigade’s 94th Duchifat Battalion; Sgt. First Class (res.) David Schwartz (26) and Sgt. First Class (res.) Yakir Hexter (26) both from the Combat Engineering Corp’s 8219th Battalion; and Sgt. First Class (res.) Gavriel Bloom (27), a combat engineer in the 36th Division.

While Yehoshua, Schwartz and Hexter were killed in southern Gaza, Bloom died in central Gaza, the IDF said.

The military further said that in the battle in which Schwartz and Hexter were killed, another soldier from the Combat Engineering Corp’s 8219th Battalion was seriously wounded.

An officer and two other reserve combat engineers from the 36th Division were seriously hurt in the fighting that claimed Bloom’s life, the IDF added.

Additionally, two officers from the 646th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade were also seriously injured in central Gaza.

As the IDF has intensified its ground offensive which was launched on October 27, 2023, it has almost taken control of northern Gaza.

Meanwhile, fierce battles continue to rage in both central and the southern Gaza Strip.

As a result of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, more than 1,200 people have died in Israel and at least 23,084 Palestinians were killed in Gaza.