Sergeant Ori Itzchak Hadad, 21, from Be'er Sheva, a combat soldier in the 931st Battalion in the Nahal Brigade, was killed in an operational activity in Rafah. Another soldier from the Nahal Brigade was seriously injured in action.
Since the beginning of the war, 671 soldiers have been killed, 317 of them in the ground incursion into Gaza. Overall, 3,977 soldiers were injured, of which 31 were hospitalized in serious condition, 204 in moderate condition, and 15 in mild condition.
Ori's father, Rabbi Zion Haddad, is the CEO of the Bet Moriah Foundation in Be'er Sheva. "Woe to us because we have been broken. With deep pain, we take part in the mourning of our loved ones for the heroic ascension of our beloved son Ori," was said by the foundation. "The dear and blessed sons of Zion, from gold, sweetness, and a great light that has been stored away. My eyes are pouring down water on the dead of my people. In the comfort of Zion and in the building of Jerusalem and from heaven, may the whole family be comforted."
On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a security assessment in the Southern Command to discuss the operational plans for the next phase of the war, following the offensive on Rafah. This new phase would shift the IDF from prolonged fighting to repetitive raids to further damage Hamas' capabilities on a deeper level. The security assessment focused on the fighting in Rafah and the continuation of military pressure on Hamas to secure a hostage deal.
The transition to Phase 3, as explained by the IDF, will continue for many months during which the IDF will continue to conduct raids based on intelligence, with an emphasis on eliminating leaders and destroying infrastructure. It will also allow more IDF units to prepare for extensive military action in the north against Hezbollah.