The IDF on Saturday evening identified three IDF soldiers who were killed in action in the southern Gaza Strip.
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They are Sergeant Dolev Malca, 19, from Shlomi; Sergeant Afik Tery, 19, from Rehovot and Sergeant Inon Yitzhak, 19, from Mitzpe Ramon. All three of the Bislamach Brigade’s 450th Battalion.
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Sergeant Dolev Malca, Sergeant Afik Tery and Sergeant Inon Yitzhak
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
Malca, Tery and Yitzhak were killed and 14 other troops were wounded, six of them seriously, as a result of a blast in a booby-trapped building in the Khan Younis area.
The force, under the command of the 75th Battalion of the Armored Corps, was in a building when it exploded and partially collapsed due to the sequential detonation of IEDs. The incident took place near a logistic corridor for troop movements, typically under strict military control and security.
The 98th Division, overseeing combat operations in the region, is currently investigating the quantity of explosives in the building. Suspicions have arisen that terrorists, who were located and engaged by forces shortly after near the site, may have planted or remotely triggered the explosives.
Additionally, the military is reviewing the soldier count inside the building at the time of the explosion. This event marks the second fatal explosion in a Gaza building in the past week, resulting in significant injuries and reflecting a concerning trend. The forces are actively seeking lessons to prevent such incidents from reoccurring.
IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that the incident occurred during an "operation to scan for terrorist infrastructure."
"Two devices exploded in a building a few kilometers from the border," he said, adding "We are working on counterterrorism. The readiness for Ramadan is high."
The IDF death toll since October 7 has reached 585; 245 service members have been killed since the launch of ground operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.