Deaths of IDF soldiers in Gaza mark Israel’s deadliest day since Oct. 7 Hamas attacks

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• Amna Nawaz:

  Israel's military announced today that nearly two dozen soldiers were killed yesterday fighting in Gaza, the deadliest day for Israel since Hamas' October 7 terrorist attacks.

  Israel's government vowed to continue the war amid fierce fighting. Caught in between, tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians.

  In a moment, Nick Schifrin speaks with the U.N.'s humanitarian chief about conditions in Gaza, but first his report on this deadly day for Israel's defense forces.

• Nick Schifrin:

  A prayer for the dead, a family grappling with grief.

  Sergeant 1st Class Hadar Kapeluk was a 23-year-old reservist killed in Gaza yesterday. Sergeant Major Ilay Levy was from the same unit. Today, his mother said a final goodbye, and his father delivered a message of determination.

• Man (through interpreter):

  Let's show our enemies that we are strong and even in such a difficult situation we do not break. Please say with me three times, the people of Israel live.

• Nick Schifrin:

  An Israeli officer described how 21 reservists died in the destroyed building behind him. The 261st Brigade was preparing to demolish the building with their own explosives, when a Palestinian militant opened fire, said Israeli army spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.

• Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, Spokesperson, Israeli Defense Forces (through interpreter):

  The first rocket hit one of the buildings in which explosives had been laid out. The hit apparently led to the explosion that caused the collapse of the building and the collapse of the building next to it.

• Nick Schifrin:

  The fighting is most intense in Southern Gaza on Hamas' home turf, literally. Hamas' video shows a fighter firing from a bedroom window and Hamas fighters shooting from inside blown-out buildings, aiming at Israeli soldiers in buildings across the way.

  Israeli military video shows soldiers in close combat and exposing what Israel says is a Hamas tunnel next to Khan Yunis schools. Today Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed victory.

• Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister (through interpreter):

  Together, we will fight and, God willing, together, we will win.

• Nick Schifrin:

  In Southern Gaza, victims of the war arrived by donkey cart.

  Ahmed Masmah in green bears no relation to the victims. He was, instead, the bearer of bodies he found near his home. He brought them here to try and give dignity to the dead.

• Ahmed Masmah, Displaced Palestinian (through interpreter):

  Seeing them gives one chills. No matter how hard it was, we would have brought them, even if there was an aircraft above us wanting to target us.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Others are caught in an endless cycle of displacement, fleeing farther and farther south into less and less land.

• Ahmed Shurrab, Displaced Palestinian (through interpreter):

  Where do we go? This is the 17th time I have left my home. Where should I go?

• Nick Schifrin:

  The U.N. says 1.7 million of Gaza's 2.2 million residents are currently displaced.