Gaza war: Israel army death toll since 7 October surpasses 500

The death toll among Israeli army forces in Gaza has risen to 167 since the start of the ground war after the military announced on Thursday that two officers and a soldier were killed the day prior.

It also brings the number of troops killed since Hamas and other Palestinian militants' 7 October attack to at least 501, The New Arab's Arabic-language edition al-Araby al-Jadeed reported.

Official data published by the Israeli army on Wednesday indicated that more than 2,000 soldiers were suffering from injuries.

But Israeli media reports recently signalled that the number of troops injured in Gaza was much higher, with some suggesting 5,000 had been wounded since the start of the war, including 2,000 classified as disabled.

Israel's war on Gaza has devastated the Palestinian population, almost all of whom are unable to leave.

The Israeli military campaign has so far killed more than 21,100 people in Gaza – including 8,800 children — with over 55,200 more people injured.

The army said that as of Wednesday 47 soldiers were hospitalised in a serious condition.

On Thursday, it said that three others were seriously wounded the day prior.

There were also 262 soldiers in a moderate condition and 133 with minor injuries, according to official data announced on Wednesday.

Since the start of the war, at least 332 Israeli soldiers have been seriously injured in Gaza, while as of Wednesday, according to official data, 576 had been moderately wounded and 1,161 had received minor injuries.

Israel launched its ground invasion of the strip in late October after relentlessly bombing the besieged Palestinian enclave.

The Israeli military said the number of soldiers declared injured does not include those who are transferred for treatment for reasons other than army operations.

It also does not include those who went to receive treatment at but were not admitted to hospital, or whose injuries had not been classified according to severity.

The army said the number of injured was subject to change. 

Information on army casualties is tightly controlled by the Israeli military, with Israeli media outlets subject to rules issued by the government on war coverage.