Israel army: 13 soldiers killed overnight in Gaza

JERUSALEM - Agence France-Presse

Israeli soldiers evacuate their wounded comrades at an army deployment area near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, on July 20, 2014. AFP Photo

 Thirteen Israeli soldiers were killed in fighting inside the Gaza Strip early Sunday as troops pressed a ground offensive to destroy militant tunnels, an army spokeswoman said.        

"Thirteen soldiers from the Golani Brigade were killed in Gaza overnight," she told AFP, without giving further details.        

"Since last night, 13 soldiers from the IDF's Golani Brigade were killed while fighting Hamas terrorists in Gaza," the army said on its official Twitter feed.        

Their deaths raised to 18 the total number of soldiers killed since the army began a major ground operation in Gaza late on Thursday.