Al-Qassam Brigades said on Sunday that it had managed to capture an Israeli soldier, during clashes with the Israeli army, in the Gaza Strip — the first since the exchange of Gilad Shalit, for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners, in 2011.The name of the soldier, who was classified as missing on Tuesday, is, according to the Israeli army, Oron Shaul. (He was previously reported by the Brigades to be one ‘Shaul Aron’, military ID #6092065.)
The army could not confirm news of the capture and says that the soldier’s identification process ‘is yet to be completed’, according to Ma’an.
The announcement of Shaul’s capture sparked numerous celebrations across the West Bank, with hundreds of people taking to the streets, honking car horns, and launching fireworks.
Ensuing confrontations between civilian Palestinian resistance and Israeli forces have led to numerous clashes and arrests across the region, to include the 1948 territories.
Israel officially acknowledged the death of nine soldiers on Monday, while 55 were injured.
According to Haaretz, 27 soldiers total have been killed the Israeli offensive on Gaza started on July 8.
Related: 14 Palestinians Killed, 55 Injured in Gaza, in Tuesday Pre-dawn Attacks by Israeli Forces
