Israeli forces are searching for a soldier believed captured, as a 72-hour truce with Hamas in Gaza collapsed just hours after it had begun.
The soldier, named as Hadar Goldin, 23, disappeared when Israeli forces trying to destroy a suspected militant tunnel were attacked, Israel’s military said.
Two soldiers died in the firefight in the southern Gaza Strip at 06:30 GMT.
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The Gaza health ministry said at least 53 people were killed by Israeli shelling shortly after the incident.
Hamas has not confirmed or denied capturing a soldier.
In 2006 Palestinian militants captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and held him for five years.
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