An Israeli soldier was killed Sunday morning in a clash with Hamas in the Gaza Strip during Israel's ground offensive in the salient, an Israeli military spokesman said, according to dpa. He said 31 Israeli soldiers have been wounded in the ground fighting, one of them critically, two seriously, and the rest moderately to slightly. Medical officials in Gaza say 35 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli troops crossed into the Strip Saturday night, and 150 have been wounded. At least 495 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli assault began on December 27 with massive airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, and around 2,500 wounded. The hundreds of Palestinian rockets and mortars launched since the start of the operation have left four Israelis dead and dozens more wounded.
