Netanyahu Under Pressure as 21 IDF Soldiers Killed While Setting Explosives in Gaza Homes

Hamas fighters struck the Israeli army as it set explosive charges to demolish two homes along the Gaza-Israel border, causing the devices to prematurely explode, killing at least 21 soldiers in Israel’s deadliest day of fighting since the Oct. 7 attacks. 

Three IDF soldiers were killed in another incident bringing the total military losses to 24 in a single day, which will likely increase pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to find a diplomatic solution to the ongoing siege of Gaza, which has killed more than 25,000 Palestinians, including at least 195 on Monday, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

The soldiers were installing explosives in a damaged complex of buildings when, according to the initial IDF reports, a militant fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a nearby tank, which set off a series of explosions that caused two buildings to collapse. 

“The RPG hit the reactive armor of a [tank],” said an IDF officer, not authorized to brief the media, of explosive armor intended to deflect the grenade blast from the tank. “This caused the explosives and mines being placed for an engineering demolition mission to explode.”

Netanyahu faces severe domestic political criticism–some polls have his approval rating in the single digits–for his handling of both Hamas in the run up to the Oct. 7 attacks as well as his insistence of prioritizing a military campaign against Hamas despite outrage from families of the more than 100 Israelis hostages believed to still be held in Gaza, who want talks aimed at returning the prisoners. 

The prime minister has also been at odds with Israel’s allies in the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East over the high civilian cost of the war and his government’s refusal to commit to an eventual Palestinian state in the war’s aftermath. 

“We must learn the necessary lessons and do everything to preserve the lives of our warriors,” Netanyahu said in a statement Tuesday, vowing a full investigation into the incident. “In the name of our heroes, and for our own lives, we will not stop the fight until reaching absolute victory.”

His focus on eliminating Hamas to pressure for the release of the remaining hostages is considered implausible by multiple former Israeli security officials, who have repeatedly argued the two missions are at odds.

“There are increasing concerns among Israel’s allies that this military operation lacks a clear operational focus other than to kill Hamas and take revenge upon Gaza,” said a NATO member military official. “Completely eliminating Hamas has proven impractical, more than 100 hostages remain in captivity, the world is horrified at the civilian casualties. It’s a disaster for everyone except maybe [Hamas-backers] Iran.”

Monday’s IDF losses are unlikely to ease these pressures as the attack came, according to the top Israeli military spokesperson, during an operation to demolish Palestinian homes within 600 meters of the Gaza-Israel border. With multiple members of Netanyahu’s extreme right government coalition calling for the ethnic cleansing of much, if not all, of Gaza’s current inhabitants, the situation will add to discomfort to the already difficult Israeli diplomatic position, said a regional diplomat. 

“An unbelievable own-goal during a time when allies in Europe, the U.S. and the Arab world are begging Israel to use more caution to avoid civilian casualties,” said the diplomat, who cannot speak openly in the media. 

“[Netanyahu’s] two biggest crises are Israeli domestic opinion, which essentially blames him for Oct. 7, and the international pressure over what can be described as a bloodbath in Gaza. Losing 20 plus soldiers as they’re wiring Palestinian homes for destruction can only further damage his position with all sides.”

Axios reported prior to the announcement of the IDF deaths that Israel has made a general proposal to limit some military operations and release Palestinian’s held in Israeli prisons in exchange for a hostage release, but the plan was described as "preliminary” and had not been formally presented to the Hamas officials inside Gaza required to coordinate a release.

“The Hamas leaders in control of the hostages are deep under Gaza fighting a war,” said the regional diplomat. “It can be difficult for the political leadership in [Qatar] to communicate with them at all.”