As the Conflict Cools Off, an Israeli Soldier Succumbs to His Wounds

JERUSALEM (TheBlaze/AP) — The Israeli military says a soldier wounded in fighting in the Gaza Strip has died, bringing the Israeli military toll in the recently concluded conflict to 66.

May his memory be blessed.

— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) August 31, 2014

The military says 20-year-old Sergeant Shachar Shalev died Sunday. He was wounded on July 23, six days after Israeli ground forces entered the densely populated coastal strip.

Sgt. Shahar Shalev. Courtesy of the family.

Six civilians were also killed on the Israeli side, including one agricultural worker from Thailand.

More than 2,100 Palestinians, mainly civilians, were killed during the 50-day war.

The breakdown of Palestinian casualties has been a point of international contention.

The U.N., relying largely on Palestinian-provided figures, estimated that 69 percent of Palestinians killed in the recent conflict were civilians, while Israeli officials have estimated that roughly half of the Palestinians killed were combatants.

Israel and Hamas agreed last Tuesday to an open-ended truce. The cease-fire brought an immediate end to the fighting but left key disputes unresolved.

This story has been updated.

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