8 Israeli soldiers killed in Rafah blast

8 Israeli soldiers have been killed in a blast in the Gaza Strip as forces continue to push in and around the southern city of Rafah.

The Israeli troops were all killed inside an armoured personnel carrier during an ambush by Hamas fighters, the military said.

The IDF convoy was returning from an overnight offensive on Hamas in which they killed some 50 gunmen when the terror group ambushed the soldiers.

One of the vehicles was hit by a major explosion, killing and wounding the Israeli troops on board.

It was not immediately clear if the bomb was planted under the tank ahead of time or if Hamas fighters placed the explosive device during the surprise attack, the Times of Israel reported.

It's also being investigated whether explosives stored on the outside of the CEV contributed to the massive blast.