Tel Aviv , Dec 27: The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Wednesday announced the deaths of three soldiers fighting in northern Gaza. With this, the Israeli death toll in the ground operation that commenced in October 27 in the Strip has touched 164. The deceased soldiers are identified as Lt. Yaron Eliezer Chitiz (23) ,deputy commander of the Shaked battalion in the Givati Brigade and hailing from Ra'anana, Staff Sgt. Itay Buton (20), a soldier in the Shaked battalion in the Givati Brigade, from Petah Tikva and Staff Sgt. Efraim Yachman (21), a soldier in the Shaked battalion in the Givati Brigade, from Neve Daniel. Israel is taking on the Hamas militant group in Gaza Strip after the Hamas men swarmed into southern Israel killing 1,200 people and injuring more than 3,000. The terrorists also kidnapped 240 people and Israel government has vowed to wipe out the Hamas from its strong hold Gaza and engaged in a tough war. More than 20,000 Palestinians including women and children were killed in the Israeli air strikes and ground operations. /IANS