"War has a very painful and heavy price", says Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari after 21 soldiers were killed in the Gaza Strip, the biggest daily death toll for the military since the start of its ground operation on October 27 following the unprecedented attacks by Hamas on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of about 1,140 people in Israel.
Most of the victims were civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Israel has since vowed to destroy Hamas in response.
Its relentless bombardment and ground offensive have killed at least 24,927 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's health ministry.
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