ISRAELI forces surrounded the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis for further attacks today just hours after it suffered its biggest loss since its invasion.

Twenty-one Israeli soldiers were killed during a ground offensive, the Israeli military said, after a rocket-propelled grenade fired at a tank set off a secondary explosion that brought two buildings down on its soldiers.

Khan Younis, Gaza’s second-largest city, has seen heavy attacks by Israel in recent days as Israel claims that top Hamas leaders may be hiding in tunnels below the city.