The Israeli army says 24 of its soldiers were killed in Gaza on Monday - the deadliest day for its forces since their ground operation began, writes BBC.

That includes 21 reservists who died in an explosion likely caused by mines that Israeli forces had placed in two buildings to demolish them, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said. It is thought a missile fired by Palestinian armed fighters hit a tank near the buildings. The IDF is investigating what happened.

According to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry, 195 Palestinians have been killed in the past day. Its chief spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said the reservists were killed in central Gaza at around 16:00 (14:00 GMT) on Monday - close to the kibbutz of Kissufim on the Israeli side of the border.

He said they were involved in an operation to allow for residents of southern Israel to safely return to their homes after tens of thousands were evacuated after the Hamas attack on 7 October.

On Monday, Israel’s military had already confirmed that 3 officers were killed in a separate attack in southern Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister described the deaths on Monday as “one of the most difficult days since the war erupted”.

“In the name of our heroes, for the sake of our lives, we will not stop fighting until absolute victory”, - wrote Benjamin Netanyahu on X.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said it had been an “unbearably difficult morning” learning about the extent of the death toll: “On behalf of the entire nation, I console the families and pray for the healing of the wounded”.