TEL AVIV, December 12. /TASS/. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has lost 105 troops since the start of its ground operation against the Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip, The Times of Israel newspaper writes.

According to the paper, the army announced the death of a reservist who suffered wounds on November 20, which brought the IDF’s death toll in the ground operation to 105.

In addition, three soldiers, including two reservists, were seriously wounded in southern Gaza on Monday.

Tensions in the Middle East flared up again on October 7 after Hamas militants launched a surprise incursion into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, killing residents of border communities and taking over 200 people, including women, children and the elderly, hostage. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel announced a total blockade of Gaza and started carrying out strikes on targets in the Strip, as well as on certain areas in Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank.