Live updates | 21 Israeli soldiers are killed in Gaza as criticism of war’s handling rises at home

The Israeli army said Tuesday that 21 soldiers were killed in the Gaza Strip in the deadliest attack on its troops since the war began, as criticism grows over the government’s handling of the 3-month-old war against Hamas.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to press ahead until Israel crushes the ruling Hamas militant group and wins the freedom of over 100 hostages held captive in Gaza. Israelis are increasingly divided on the question of whether it’s possible to do either. On Monday, hostages’ family members disrupted a committee meeting in Israel’s parliament, yelling, “You won’t sit here while they are dying there!”

Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip pounded the southern city of Khan Younis on Monday, pushing thousands of Palestinians to flee even further south. The war has displaced some 85% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, and one in four of them are starving, the United Nations says.

The Health Ministry in Gaza says more than 25,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, which erupted on Oct. 7 when militants from Gaza attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages.

Currently:

— Families of Israeli hostages storm Knesset, demanding a deal for their release.

— Twenty-one Israeli soldiers are killed in the deadliest single attack on the army since the war began.

— The European Union pushes for Palestinian statehood, rejecting Israeli leader’s insistence that it’s off the table.

— U.S. and British militaries launch a new round of joint strikes against multiple Houthi sites in Yemen.

— Find more of ’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.

Here’s the latest:

21 ISRAELI SOLDIERS KILLED IN GAZA

JERUSALEM — Israel’s army says a total of 21 soldiers were killed in an attack in central Gaza, making it the largest single loss of life for the military since the war began.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the chief military spokesperson, made the announcement Tuesday, updating an earlier toll. He said the soldiers were preparing explosives to demolish two buildings on Monday when a militant fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a tank nearby, setting off the explosion prematurely. The buildings collapsed on the soldiers.

The heavy death toll could add new momentum to calls for Israel to pause the offensive or even halt it altogether. Large numbers of Israeli casualties have put pressure on Israel’s government to halt past military operations.

NEW ZEALAND WILL SEND A TEAM TO ASSIST IN THE RED SEA

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand announced Tuesday it was sending a six-member team to join an international maritime security coalition in the Red Sea.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the country’s defense personnel will contribute to protecting ships in the Middle East from operational headquarters in the region and elsewhere.

“Houthi attacks against commercial and naval shipping are illegal, unacceptable and profoundly destabilizing,” Luxon said in a written statement Tuesday.

The deployment is mandated to conclude no later than July 31.

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