Israeli soldier killed in Gaza Strip as both fighting & negotiations with Hamas continue apace

An IDF soldier was killed in the fighting against Hamas in Gaza on Sunday, as the fighting there continues while Israel and the U.S. are trying to raise the pressure on Hamas to agree on a ceasefire and hostage deal.

A source in the Trump administration told i24 News about the negotiations: "We are optimistic."

In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a high-level meeting on Sunday evening, discussing whether to send a delegation to advance the talks in Egypt or Qatar.

A source involved in the talks told the outlet that three thirds of the issues have already been resolved in recent weeks: "25% of the issues are still open, including key issues such as the humanitarian situation, the end of the war itself, and the guarantees that Israel demands to prevent Hamas from rearming," the source said.

The Israel Defense Forces announced Sunday that Staff Sgt. Yisrael Natan Rosenfeld was killed by an explosive device in the city of Jabaliya, in northern Gaza.

Hamas operatives detonated an IED on Rosenfeld’s combat engineering unit as it prepared to raid a building. Only Rosenfeld was killed, no other soldiers were wounded in the incident.

Since Israel resumed the fighting in Gaza under Operation Gideon’s Chariots, 30 soldiers have fallen in battle. The overall death toll during ground operations in Gaza rose to 438 Israeli soldiers.

The incident occurred after the military issued a broad evacuation call for residents of Jabaliya and surrounding areas ahead of intensive operations there.

According to the military, troops of the Givati Brigade under the command of the 162nd Division over the past weeks “eliminated numerous terrorists, dismantled military infrastructure both above and below ground, and located and confiscated weapons – some of which were hidden inside civilian structures” in the area of Jabaliya.

Meanwhile, Hamas continued its near-daily claims and allegations of “massacres” against civilians at the hands of IDF soldiers near aid distribution sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

As has happened in previous instances, there was no corroborating footage from the scene of the alleged crime.

The Hamas-run civil defense agency claimed that 17 people were killed by Israeli airstrikes and gunfire on Sunday.

“Our aid workers on the ground continue to carry out extraordinary work under unimaginable conditions,” the GHF stated Sunday, reiterating it is “aware of credible reports that Hamas is openly targeting the GHF and those who work with us.”

“According to these reports, Hamas has placed bounties on both our American security personnel and Palestinian aid workers – offering cash rewards to anyone who injures or kills them. In recent days, Hamas has also pre-positioned armed operatives near humanitarian zones in an effort to disrupt the only functioning aid delivery system in Gaza.”

Amid the ongoing fighting, Israel and the U.S. continued a recent push to reach a ceasefire agreement, which reportedly could serve as the first step of a broad plan to bring peace to the entire region.

“There are ongoing contacts through the mediating countries, and we are in continuous contact with the Americans,” a senior Israeli official told the Times of Israel, adding that a high-level meeting of Israeli officials was set to discuss the issue on Sunday.

Earlier that day, the Jerusalem District Court agreed to cancel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s testimony scheduled for this week, following the request to postpone testimonies for the next two weeks due to important diplomatic and national security issues the prime minister has to attend.

After a previous request had been denied, the heads of IDF Military Intelligence and the Mossad advocated on Netanyahu’s behalf at a closed-door hearing.

U.S. President Donald Trump has published two Truth Social posts that strongly called for canceling Netanyahu’s trial altogether.

After the success of the Iran campaign, Trump is now hoping to pivot quickly to ending the Gaza War and expanding the Abraham Accords, Axios reported last Thursday. 

The news site quoted an anonymous source with “knowledge of the matter”, who said, "Trump wants a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza as soon as possible.” 

“MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!! DJT,” Trump posted to Truth Social early Sunday morning.