Former Israeli army chief's son killed in Gaza fighting

The son of Israel's former 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 Gal Eisenkot was killed after a bomb exploded in a tunnel shaft near soldiers in the Jabaliya camp in northern Gaza. He was rushed in grave condition to a hospital in Israel, where he died of his injuries.

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

In his statement, 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 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.

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.