The IDF on Wednesday evening local time announced the passing of another one of its combat troops, bringing the number of Israeli soldiers killed in fighting inside the Gaza Strip to 16. Military officials identified the latest victim of Hamas terrorists as Sgt. First Class Shalev Zion Sharabi, a 22-year-old from Matna Omer who was operating as a combat medic inside Gaza as part of the 749th Battalion of the Bislamach Brigade. The IDF said he was killed by mortar fire near the southern Israeli community of Be’eri, where Hamas killed hundreds in gruesome fashion during its ghastly Simchas Torah attack. IDF officials said earlier Wednesday that they were making significant progress in their efforts to eliminate the entirety of the Hamas terror organization, though they stressed that doing so was expected to unfortunately come at a high cost to IDF troops. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)