Israel war cabinet minister's son killed in Gaza fighting

gadi eisenkotReuters

Gadi Eisenkot was told of his son's injuries while visiting an army base (file photo)

The son of Israel's ex-army chief Gadi Eisenkot, who is currently a minister in the country's war cabinet, has been killed in Gaza, the military says.

It says 25-year-old Master Sergeant Gal Eisenkot died in northern Gaza on Thursday.

Israeli media say MSgt Eisenkot was badly injured after a tunnel shaft exploded and later died in hospital.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu said he and his wife were "broken-hearted", and that Gal Eisenkot was a "true hero".

In his statement, Mr Netanyahu added: "Our heroes have not fallen in vain. We will continue to fight until victory."

Gadi Eisenkot, 63, is a battle-hardened retired general who served as Israel's chief of the general staff from 2015-19.

A lawmaker from the National Unity party, he is also a current member of Mr Netanyahu's emergency government set up after Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 240 hostages.

Israel has responded by bombarding Gaza from the air and launching a ground invasion. Hamas officials in Gaza say it has killed more than 17,000 people, mainly civilians, with thousands more missing under rubble.

Mr Eisenkot was informed about his son's injuries as he was visiting the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) Southern Command, local media reported.

A number of Israeli government officials and lawmakers also sent their condolences to the Eisenkot family.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid posted a photo of Gal and Gadi Eisenkot in military uniforms hugging each other.

"This photo. This hug. A father and his son. Both in uniform. Both soldiers in this country," Mr Lapid wrote. "They both respond to the call and show up when they're needed, doing whatever they need to do. The fate of an entire nation in one hug."

The IDF also said that another soldier - named as Sgt Maj Jonathan David Deitch, 34 - was killed in southern Gaza on Thursday.

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