Israel officially recognises its lost troops in Gaza last summer

Israeli Defence Minister Mosh Ya’alon and Israeli Prime Miister Benjamin Netanyahu have officially recognised that their country lost troops during last summer’s offensive on Gaza, Al-Quds newspaper reported.

The remarks of both officials were delivered during speeches marking the first anniversary of the violent Israeli aggression on Gaza, which claimed the lives of around 2,260 Gazans and wounded around 11,000 others.

Over the past year, Israeli officials, including Ya’alon have mentioning the cases of two lost troops among the dead, but Monday’s speech, attended by a number of political and military officials, was different.

“Israel will work hard to regain the lost troops,” Ya’alon said. “We are exerting out utmost efforts to guarantee their return.”

Meanwhile, Netanyahu said that last year’s offensive had been a harsh blow for Hamas, and that this was the first ever such crack down on the Palestinian Islamist movement.

He said that Israeli forces in the south of Israel are currently on high alert, with orders to interfere with much more strength if necessary. He said that Israel’s duty is to regain the remains of Sha’ul Oron and Hadar Goldern.

A number of Israeli activists described Ya’alon’s remarks as a “slip of the tongue”.