Preliminary Israeli statistics, published on Sunday, showed that 26 soldiers and officers in the Israeli army were killed during clashes with members of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement.

According to the statistics, as reported on the website of the Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, 30 policemen, including officers, were also killed in the same clashes inside the settlements surrounding the Gaza Strip.

Among the most prominent dead was the commander of the Nahal Military Brigade, Notan Steinberg.