A hazy Gaza City is seen in northern Gaza strip early Friday, July 18, 2014. The heavy thud of tank shells, often just seconds apart, echoed across the Gaza Strip early Friday as thousands of Israeli soldiers launched a ground invasion, escalating a 10-day campaign of heavy air bombardments to try to destroy Hamas' rocket-firing abilities and the tunnels militants use to infiltrate Israel.JERUSALEM - Israel's military says a soldier has been killed in a ground operation in the Gaza Strip. The circumstances of his death were not immediately clear.
Israel's chief military spokesman Brig. Gen. Motti Almoz told Israeli Army Radio "we are checking the circumstances" behind the soldier's death.
It was the first military casualty since Israel announced the start of a ground operation into Gaza late Thursday.
Friday is the 11th day of fighting between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers.