Five Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza and 18 Palestinians dead in strikes

Palestinians carry containers for water at a camp for the displaced in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

Five Israeli soldiers were killed in an attack in Gaza, the Israeli military said on Tuesday, while health officials in the Palestinian territory said 18 people were killed in Israeli strikes.

The bloodshed came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was visiting the White House for talks with US President Donald Trump about a ceasefire plan to pause the Gaza fighting.