The IDF said 21 soldiers were killed in the Gaza Strip on Monday when they were preparing to blow up buildings near the border to prevent their repeated use by Hamas to fire into Israeli communities.
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The tragic incident took place while a cluster of buildings some 600 meters (650 yards) from the border fence on the Gaza side, designated for demolition, were rigged with explosives ahead of demolition in an effort to create a buffer zone cleared of any structures or people who could pose a threat.
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IDF forces near Gaza border with Israel after mass casualty incident
(Photo: Amir Cohen / Reuters)
An initial probe reveals the explosion occurred when a combined force of infantry, armored and engineering troops worked to prepare a secure area in the center of the Gaza Strip in advance of the end of the war.
"Around 4 in the afternoon, at least one terrorist, presumably emerging from a tunnel and hence undetected, fired an anti-tank missile at a tank securing the operation, resulting in the death of two soldiers in the tank and injuries to two others. Meanwhile, an RPG was launched by the cell toward a complex of two adjoining houses occupied by dozens of soldiers as part of the operation," the IDF said. "Initial estimates suggest that the anti-tank fire in the building triggered several explosives planted by the force inside, causing the complete collapse of the dual-building complex due to the massive blast.
"The IDF systematically demolishes Palestinian buildings that enable surveillance and firing capabilities toward Israel, leading to the destruction of hundreds of buildings to date. The 8208th Reserve Battalion has been operationally engaged in recent weeks around the central Gaza Strip, working on defense tasks and reshaping the border area on both sides of the fence. The IDF is set to appoint a special investigative team to examine the circumstances of the incident to prevent its recurrence. The IDF has used hundreds of tons of explosives and mines in the war to demolish tunnels, Hamas bases, terrorists' homes and complex targets throughout the Gaza Strip," the military said in a statement.
The 21 fallen soldiers are Sgt. Maj. (res.) Matan Lazar, 32, of the 261st Brigade’s 6261st Battalion, from Haifa, Sgt. First Class (res.) Hadar Kapeluk, 23, a squad commander in the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Mevo Beitar, Sgt. Maj. (res.) Sergey Gontmaher, 37, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Ramat Gan, Sgt. First Class (res.) Elkana Yehuda Sfez, 25, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Kiryat Arba, Sgt. First Class (res.) Yoval Lopez, 27, of the 205th Brigade’s 9206th Battalion, from Alon Shvut, Master Sgt. (res.) Yoav Levi, 29, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Yehud-Monosson, Sgt. First Class (res.) Nicholas Berger, 22, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Jerusalem, Sgt. First Class (res.) Cydrick Garin, 23, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Tel Aviv, Sgt. Maj. (res.) Rafael Elias Mosheyoff, 33, of the 261st Brigade’s 6261st Battalion, from Pardes Hanna-Karkur, Sgt. Maj. (res.) Barak Haim Ben Valid, 33, a squad commander in the 261st Brigade’s 6261st Battalion, from Rishon Lezion.
Sgt. Major (res.) Adam Bismut, 35, of the 261st Brigade’s 6261st Battalion, from Karnei Shomron, Sgt. Major (res.) Itamar Tal, 32, of the 261st Brigade’s 6261st Battalion, from Kibbutz Mesilot, Sgt. first class (res.) Ahmad Abu Latif, 26, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Rahat, Captain (res.) Ariel Mordechay Wollfstal, 28, of the 205th Brigade’s 9206th Battalion, from Elazar, Sgt. First class Israel Socol, 24, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Karnei Shomron, Master Sgt. Elkana Vizel, 35, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion from Bnei Dekalim, Captain (res.) Nir Binyamin, 29, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Givatayim, Sgt. first class (res.) Sagi Idan, 24, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion from Rosh HaAyin, Sgt. Major (res.) Mark Kononovich, 35, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion from Herzliya, Sgt. Major (res.) Shay Biton Hayun, 40, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Zikhron Ya'akov, Sgt. Major (res.) Zegeye Daniel Kasau, 38, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Yokneam Illit.
"This is the war that would determine the future of Israel for decades to come," Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said. "The death of the soldiers commands that we achieve our objectives in the war."
First published: 07:40, 01.23.24