Three Israeli soldiers were killed Wednesday when a tank from the 46th Battalion of the IDF’s 401st Brigade hit a booby-trapped pit in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza, causing a large explosion, the military said.
The names of two of the fallen soldiers have been released: Staff Sgt. Matityahu Ya’akov Perel, 22, from Beit El, and Staff Sgt. Kenew Kasa, 22, from Beit Shemesh, both tank crew members in the 46th Battalion, and tank commander Staff Sgt. Nevo Fisher, 20, from Bruchin.
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Staff Sgt. Nevo Fisher, Staff Sgt. Matityahu Ya’akov Perel and Staff Sgt. Kenew Kasa
(Photo: IDF)
Another soldier sustained serious injuries in the incident and was evacuated to a hospital, where his family was notified.
Since the war began, 830 Israeli soldiers have been killed. The ground maneuver in Gaza, which started on October 27, 2023, has accounted for 395 of these fatalities. To date, 5,589 soldiers have been injured, including 822 seriously. Seventeen soldiers in serious condition remain hospitalized.
The unit struck on Wednesday was operating under the Nahal Brigade’s reconnaissance forces as part of an ongoing operation targeting Hamas’ local battalion in Beit Hanoun. Explosives have emerged as a major threat in the area, the IDF said.
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Initial investigations revealed that two officers from the Nahal Brigade—Maj. Dvir Zion Revah and Capt. Eitan Israel Shiknazi—killed in combat on Monday, were also victims of explosive devices rather than anti-tank missiles as initially believed.
The operation in Beit Hanoun, which began in late December, is one of the final key stages of the IDF’s campaign in northern Gaza, now in its third month. Soldiers have uncovered weapons stockpiles and operational tunnels still used by Hamas fighters.
Last weekend, Kfir Brigade forces destroyed the "Officers’ Neighborhood" in Beit Hanoun, a strategic area that overlooked the Israeli city of Sderot. Southern Command estimates that civilians will not be permitted to return to Beit Hanoun after the fighting concludes.
Staff Sgt. Kenew Kasa leaves behind his parents, Sisay and Worknesh, and five siblings. Kasa is the 18th fallen soldier from Beit Shemesh since the start of the war.
Mayor Shmuel Greenberg visited the family to offer condolences, saying, “The war is not over, and each loss tears our hearts anew. This is a painful and profound loss for the family and the entire city. We embrace the family and stand by them during this difficult time.”