Major Netanel Hershkovitz, 37, and Master Sergeants Ori Moshe Borenstein, 32, and Matityahu Marantz Tzvi, 32, "fell during combat in the northern Gaza Strip," the military said in a statement.

Israeli forces are currently engaged in fierce battles in northern Gaza, and have encircled the city of Jabalia since the weekend.

The army issued new evacuation demands on Tuesday, saying Hamas was regrouping in Jabalia, despite a year of strikes and fierce fighting there.

The latest deaths bring the military's death toll in the Gaza campaign to 353 since it launched a ground offensive on October 27 last year.