5 Israeli soldiers killed, 7 injured in Gaza by errant Israeli tank shelling

An Israeli tank moves along the border with northern Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, on May 16, 2024. Five Israeli soldiers were killed and seven others injured, three of them seriously, by errant Israeli tank fire in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Thursday. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)

JERUSALEM, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Five Israeli soldiers were killed and seven others injured, three of them seriously, by errant Israeli tank fire in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Thursday.

The casualties were with a force that entered Gaza City and seized buildings as part of a resumed attack on the refugee camp.

Two IDF tanks, positioned several dozen meters away, apparently spotted a gun in a window of one of the buildings and fired two shells towards the target.

The army said it was investigating why the soldiers were misidentified as Palestinian militants.

A total of 626 soldiers have been killed in Hamas' Oct. 7 attack and Israel's ensuing attacks on Gaza, according to the IDF tally.

An Israeli tank moves along the border with northern Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, on May 16, 2024. Five Israeli soldiers were killed and seven others injured, three of them seriously, by errant Israeli tank fire in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Thursday. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)

Israeli troops are seen near the border with northern Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, on May 16, 2024. Five Israeli soldiers were killed and seven others injured, three of them seriously, by errant Israeli tank fire in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Thursday. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)

An Israeli tank moves along the border with northern Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, on May 16, 2024. Five Israeli soldiers were killed and seven others injured, three of them seriously, by errant Israeli tank fire in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Thursday. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)

Israeli troops are seen near the border with northern Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, on May 16, 2024. Five Israeli soldiers were killed and seven others injured, three of them seriously, by errant Israeli tank fire in the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Thursday. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)