The armed wing of Hamas said an Israeli soldier who had been held hostage was killed in a clash between the militants and an Israeli special forces unit that was conducting a rescue operation, Reuters reports.

Al-Qassam Brigades said its fighters had discovered the rescue operation and confronted the unit which led to the death and injury of a number of the Israeli forces involved in the operation, without specifying a number.

They identified the captive soldier who was killed as 25-year-old Sa’ar Baruch and gave an identification number for him.

The Israeli Defence Forces did not immediately respond to a request for comment.