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| Israel Confirms One Soldier Is Missing in Gaza | Israel Confirms One Soldier Is Missing in Gaza |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| JERUSALEM — The Israeli military announced on Tuesday that the remains of one of its soldiers presumed to have been killed on Sunday in Gaza had still not been found or identified, two days after Hamas’s military wing said it had captured a soldier. | |
| In the early hours of Sunday morning, during a fierce battle between Israeli ground forces and Hamas militants in Shejaiya, an eastern neighborhood of Gaza City, an aged Israeli armored personnel carrier carrying seven soldiers was hit by an antitank missile, according to the military. | In the early hours of Sunday morning, during a fierce battle between Israeli ground forces and Hamas militants in Shejaiya, an eastern neighborhood of Gaza City, an aged Israeli armored personnel carrier carrying seven soldiers was hit by an antitank missile, according to the military. |
| It was one of the deadliest encounters since Israel sent ground forces into Gaza late Thursday, after 10 days of aerial bombing, which Israel says is aimed at severely damaging Hamas’s rocket-firing capabilities and underground tunnel network. | It was one of the deadliest encounters since Israel sent ground forces into Gaza late Thursday, after 10 days of aerial bombing, which Israel says is aimed at severely damaging Hamas’s rocket-firing capabilities and underground tunnel network. |
| “The identification process of six of the soldiers killed has been completed and confirmed,” the military said in a statement on Tuesday. “The efforts to identify the seventh soldier are ongoing and have yet to be determined.” | “The identification process of six of the soldiers killed has been completed and confirmed,” the military said in a statement on Tuesday. “The efforts to identify the seventh soldier are ongoing and have yet to be determined.” |
| Until now, the military had said it was “looking into” Hamas’s assertion that it had abducted a soldier, saying it was unable to confirm or deny the claim. Tuesday’s announcement was the military’s first attempt to explain the confusion. | Until now, the military had said it was “looking into” Hamas’s assertion that it had abducted a soldier, saying it was unable to confirm or deny the claim. Tuesday’s announcement was the military’s first attempt to explain the confusion. |
| The Israeli military identified the seventh soldier in the personnel carrier as Sergeant Oron Shaul, 21, a combat soldier of the Golani brigade from Poria in northern Israel. That name corresponded with a name Hamas had provided in Arabic when it claimed the seizure of the soldier. Hamas also provided an Israeli identity number for the soldier. | |
| The statement said the families of the seven soldiers “who were involved in the incident were briefed on the circumstances of the attack.” | The statement said the families of the seven soldiers “who were involved in the incident were briefed on the circumstances of the attack.” |
| Motti Almoz, the military’s chief spokesman, told Israel Radio that the military was “clarifying the circumstances surrounding this incident.” | Motti Almoz, the military’s chief spokesman, told Israel Radio that the military was “clarifying the circumstances surrounding this incident.” |
| Fighting continued in Shejaiya overnight, where the Israeli military said it had struck weapons stores, command and control positions and other infrastructure. So far, the military said it had uncovered some 23 underground tunnels in Gaza and 66 access points to the tunnels, many of them in Shejaiya, which lies close to the border with Israel. | Fighting continued in Shejaiya overnight, where the Israeli military said it had struck weapons stores, command and control positions and other infrastructure. So far, the military said it had uncovered some 23 underground tunnels in Gaza and 66 access points to the tunnels, many of them in Shejaiya, which lies close to the border with Israel. |
| Some of the tunnels have been used by Hamas militants to carry out incursions into Israeli territory and there have been several deadly clashes between militants emerging from tunnels on the Israeli side of the border and Israeli soldiers. Israeli officials say the tunnels were also designed for attacks on Israeli civilian communities. | Some of the tunnels have been used by Hamas militants to carry out incursions into Israeli territory and there have been several deadly clashes between militants emerging from tunnels on the Israeli side of the border and Israeli soldiers. Israeli officials say the tunnels were also designed for attacks on Israeli civilian communities. |
| Rocket fire from Gaza continued on Tuesday, with one rocket striking the town of Yehud, near Tel Aviv, causing damage to houses but no serious injury. | Rocket fire from Gaza continued on Tuesday, with one rocket striking the town of Yehud, near Tel Aviv, causing damage to houses but no serious injury. |
| Israel’s bombardment of Gaza also continued from the air and sea, and artillery shelling could be heard through the night. The Palestinian health ministry said that at least four women were killed, including a pregnant woman, 25, whose home outside Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza was hit by an artillery shell. Another woman, 25, was killed in similar circumstances east of Rafah in southern Gaza and two more women, aged 70 and 50, died from Israeli fire, also in southern Gaza. | Israel’s bombardment of Gaza also continued from the air and sea, and artillery shelling could be heard through the night. The Palestinian health ministry said that at least four women were killed, including a pregnant woman, 25, whose home outside Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza was hit by an artillery shell. Another woman, 25, was killed in similar circumstances east of Rafah in southern Gaza and two more women, aged 70 and 50, died from Israeli fire, also in southern Gaza. |
| After Hamas announced over the weekend that it had captured an Israeli soldier, Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank celebrated. | |
| Holding a soldier, dead or alive, would be a significant victory for Hamas, with the Palestinian death toll from Israel’s two-week-old campaign in Gaza now exceeding 575, many of them civilians. The Islamic militant group has long advocated seizing soldiers and holding them hostage for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. It would also be a significant blow for Israel. A total of 27 soldiers have been killed so far during the ground invasion. Two Israeli civlians have been killed by rocket and mortar fire. | |
| The questions about the fate of the seventh soldier in the personnel carrier could further complicate international efforts under way to broker a cease-fire, with Israel unlikely to want to withdraw its forces until it has clarified the situation or located the soldier’s remains. If Hamas is indeed holding a soldier or his remains, the Islamic group is likely to want to hold out for a trade and demand the release of its prisoners in Israeli jails, posing a difficult dilemma for Israel. The government and the public are becoming increasingly opposed to such exchanges. | The questions about the fate of the seventh soldier in the personnel carrier could further complicate international efforts under way to broker a cease-fire, with Israel unlikely to want to withdraw its forces until it has clarified the situation or located the soldier’s remains. If Hamas is indeed holding a soldier or his remains, the Islamic group is likely to want to hold out for a trade and demand the release of its prisoners in Israeli jails, posing a difficult dilemma for Israel. The government and the public are becoming increasingly opposed to such exchanges. |
| Israel has gone to great lengths in the past to secure the return of missing soldiers or their remains, agreeing to lopsided prisoner swaps that critics say encourage more kidnapping. | Israel has gone to great lengths in the past to secure the return of missing soldiers or their remains, agreeing to lopsided prisoner swaps that critics say encourage more kidnapping. |
| In Cairo, Secretary of State John Kerry continued his efforts Tuesday to help broker a cease-fire in Gaza at a meeting with Egypt’s foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry. Mr. Kerry planned to meet Tuesday night with the head of Egypt’s intelligence service. | In Cairo, Secretary of State John Kerry continued his efforts Tuesday to help broker a cease-fire in Gaza at a meeting with Egypt’s foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry. Mr. Kerry planned to meet Tuesday night with the head of Egypt’s intelligence service. |
| Sketching out a two-stage process, Mr. Shoukry said he was hopeful that Mr. Kerry’s visit would result in a cease-fire “that provides the necessary security for the Palestinian people” and that “medium- and long-term” issues on Gaza’s future could be addressed after it was in effect. | Sketching out a two-stage process, Mr. Shoukry said he was hopeful that Mr. Kerry’s visit would result in a cease-fire “that provides the necessary security for the Palestinian people” and that “medium- and long-term” issues on Gaza’s future could be addressed after it was in effect. |
| Mr. Kerry was also scheduled to meet Tuesday with the head of the Arab League, Nabil el-Araby, and with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the Egyptian president. Mr. Kerry was expected to stay in Cairo until at least Wednesday morning. | Mr. Kerry was also scheduled to meet Tuesday with the head of the Arab League, Nabil el-Araby, and with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the Egyptian president. Mr. Kerry was expected to stay in Cairo until at least Wednesday morning. |
| On Monday night, Mr. Kerry met with Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations Secretary General, and with Majid Faraj, the chief of intelligence for the Palestinian Authority. | On Monday night, Mr. Kerry met with Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations Secretary General, and with Majid Faraj, the chief of intelligence for the Palestinian Authority. |