The Islamic Hamas movement's armed wing announced on Sunday that they had kidnapped an Israeli soldier and hold him captive in Gaza.
A spokesman of Hamas' armed wing Qassam Brigades has identified the Israeli soldier as Shaul Aron and his military number as 6092065.
The spokesman said in a televised speech that they succeeded in kidnapping the Israeli soldier during an ambush in Attufah neighborhood in Gaza City earlier on Sunday. He said 14 Israeli soldiers were also killed in this ambush, but Israel confirmed that 13 of its soldiers died in Gaza city on Sunday.
Israel has not confirmed on the abduction.
The kidnapping occurred four days after Israel launched a ground operation into Gaza to end rocket fire. Israel's military operation has resulted in the deaths of about 450 Palestinians and the injury of more than 3040 others in Gaza. One Israeli citizen and 13 soldiers have also been killed, while 65 others injured.
In June 2006 Qassam Brigades kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in a cross-border operation and held him captive for six years. The soldier was later released in exchange for 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.