5 Israeli soldiers killed by Israeli tank fire in Gaza

Five Israeli soldiers were killed and another seven were wounded, including three seriously, in an incident of so-called friendly fire in northern Gaza’s Jabaliya on Wednesday evening, the military announced Thursday.

Israeli media say the troops were killed when they were mistakenly hit by Israeli tank fire.

It happened in Jabalia in northern Gaza, where Israeli forces are battling Hamas fighters.

The deceased were known as Captain Roy Beit Yaakov, 22, from Eli; Staff Surgent Gilad Arye Boim, 22, from Karnei Shomron; Surgent Daniel Chemu, 20, from Tiberias, Surgent Ilan Cohen, 20, from Karmiel and Staff Surgent Betzalel David Shashuah, 21, from Tel Aviv.

Troops went back into the town this week after previously pulling out, saying Hamas had regrouped there.

Tens of thousands of civilians have fled Jabalia since Saturday, when the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched an operation with air strikes. Troops re-entered Jabalia on Monday.

Fighting there and in the southern town of Rafah, where about half of Gaza’s civilian 2.3 million population had taken shelter, has intensified in recent days.

Some 600,000 Palestinians have since fled Rafah, and another 100,000 have been newly displaced by a resurgence of fighting in the north, the UN says.

(With inputs from agencies)