Friendly fire tragedy in Gaza claims five Israeli soldiers

"Five Israeli soldiers were killed on Wednesday in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip due to friendly fire from their own forces," according to the Israeli army's statement.

Information obtained from a preliminary investigation indicates that the incident occurred in an area where Israeli armored forces were operating. A group of soldiers from a paratrooper brigade had taken positions in one of the nearby buildings, occupying strategic locations.

A few hours later, another group of paratroopers arrived at the same location and informed the armored units that they were entering the building. The tank crews covering them saw a gun barrel in one of the windows. Assuming it belonged to the enemy, they fired two shots, reported the Times of Israel portal.

The Israeli army noted that "the incident is still under investigation."

Israeli forces entered the Gaza Strip after an October attack by the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas on Israel, during which the attackers killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted over 240 to the Strip.