Israel confirms 'missing' soldier

The Israeli military have confirmed the disappearance of one of their soldiers, after reports persisted that Hamas had captured a soldier from the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).

The IDF has reported that one of seven men inside an armoured personnel carrier that was attacked in Shejaiyeh on Sunday has been classified as "missing" and is presumed dead, though the bodies of the other soldiers killed in the attack have been recovered.

This disputes a claim by Hamas on Sunday that it had captured an Israeli soldier, allegedly named Aron Shaul, during fighting in Shujaiyeh.

Abu Obaida, a spokesman for the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, recited Aron's name and identity tag number on Gaza TV, but gave no further evidence of his capture.

Palestinians celebrated the news, even recording a song in praise of the capture

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri welcomed the news in a statement.

"The announcement by the Qassam Brigades of the capture of a Zionist soldier is a great victory and revenge for the blood of the martyrs," he said.

Hamas’s last capture of an Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, in 2006 eventually resulted in his exchange in 2011 for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners, some of whom have been re-arrested by Israeli military during their recent search for three missing teen settlers in the West Bank.

Israel has denied a soldier was captured and there has been no official indication that the missing soldier is the same one Hamas claims to have captured.

The violence in Gaza has so far claimed the lives of 583 Palestinians and 27 Israelis.

The majority of Palestinians killed have been civilians, while the majority of Israelis have been soldiers.