The IDF has announced the deaths of 21 soldiers who were killed in an incident in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday, during which two buildings collapsed following a large explosion, and a tank was apparently hit by an RPG.
Their deaths bring the toll of slain troops in the ground offensive against Hamas to 219.
The IDF is still probing the cause of the blast, but it is thought to have been caused by an RPG fired at the building where mines were stored. Rescue efforts continued for several hours after the incident.
Engineering forces were in the process of booby-trapping ten two-story buildings, positioned just over half a kilometer from the Gaza border. Simultaneously, other forces were ensuring the security of this operation. Around 4:00 p.m., a terrorist emerged from a tunnel shaft and fired an RPG missile at a tank responsible for safeguarding the mission. This attack resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and the injury of two others.
Concurrently, an anti-tank missile was launched at two buildings, where numerous soldiers were stationed. It is believed that the missile’s explosion within one of the buildings triggered the booby-trap, causing the buildings to collapse onto the soldiers.
The soldiers, Hashem Yikom Damam:
Sgt. Maj. (res.) Matan Lazar HY’D, 32, 261st Brigade’s 6261st Battalion, from Haifa.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Hadar Kapeluk HY’D, 23, squad commander in the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Mevo Beitar.
Sgt. Maj. (res.) Sergey Gontmaher HY’D, 37, 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Ramat Gan.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Elkana Yehuda Sfez HY’D, 25, 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Kiryat Arba.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Yoval Lopez HY’D, 27, 205th Brigade’s 9206th Battalion, from Alon Shvut.
Master Sgt. (res.) Yoav Levi HY’D, 29, 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Yehud-Monosson.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Nicholas Berger HY’D, 22, 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Jerusalem.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Cydrick Garin HY’D, 23, 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Tel Aviv.
Sgt. Maj. (res.) Rafael Elias Mosheyoff HY’D, 33, 261st Brigade’s 6261st Battalion, from Pardes Hanna-Karkur.
Sgt. Maj. (res.) Barak Chaim Ben Valid HY’D, 33, a squad commander in the 261st Brigade’s 6261st Battalion, from Rishon Lezion.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Ahmad Abu Latif, 26, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Rahat.
Cpt. (res.) Nir Binyamin, HY’D, 29, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Givatayim.
Master Sgt. (res.) Elkana Vizel, HY’D, 35, a squad commander in the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Bnei Dekalim.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Yisrael Socol, HY’D, 24, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Karnei Shomron.
Cpt. (res.) Ariel Mordechay Wollfstal, HY’D, 28, of the 205th Brigade’s 9206th Battalion, from Elazar.
Sgt. First Class (res.) Sagi Idan, HY’D, 24, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Rosh Haayin.
Sgt. Maj. (res.) Mark Kononovich, HY’D, 35, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Herzliya.
Sgt. Maj. (res.) Itamar Tal, HY’D, 32, of the 261st Brigade’s 6261st Battalion, from Mesilot.
Sgt. Maj. (res.) Adam Bismut, HY’D, 35, a squad commander in the 261st Brigade’s 6261st Battalion, from Karnei Shomron.
Sgt. Maj. (res.) Shay Biton Hayun, HY’D, 40, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Zichron Yaakov.
Sgt. Maj. (res.) Daniel Kasau Zegeye, HY’D, 38, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Yokne’am Illit.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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13 Responses
ברוך דיין האמת
כשם שמברכין על הטוב, כן מברכין על הרעה.
There is nothing more I can add…
an Israeli Yid
I would love to meet the fool who composes these imbicilic headlines for YWN.
So horrible, so horrible. If the state was based on halacha, then אפלו חתן מחדרו וכלה מחפתה would take part in the fighting. Maybe one day parts of the population will stop pretending that hanging out in the coffee room for a few years is somehow equivalent to risking one’s life to ensure the safety of am yisroel. I hope that one day more people will consider more seriously their obligation to participate, and through this hishtadlus I hope we won’t need to read more articles like this one. אפלו חתן מחדרו וכלה מחפתה
Based on ratio of Israel population too American population:- This is equivalent of a staggering 780 Americans:- Such a staggering # should have every American of all persuasions, livid infuriated at Hamas, not that there was way too much not to be livid furious at Hamas already a long time ago.
ABSOLUTE HORROR BUT BIBI IS A WAR CRIMINAL.
Wake up Israelis!
So sad.
Baruch Dayan emes.
So sad.
YWN, why are you allowing antagonistic comments?
Maybe it is time to say enough with American pressure, we will fight this war the way it is best FOR US! Blow up buildings from the air, just like it was done earlier in the war. No; there are no civilians in Gaza, they are either terrorists, wannabe terrorists, terrorist supporters and lovers or soon to be terrorists. Enough risking Jewish lives to pacify the world. Regardless what we do, they continue to accuse us of war crimes anyway, so we may as well fight properly.
Miriam, why is Bibi a war criminal? What’s your plan?
Why did Bibi and Gallant send our boys into a building instead of call for airstrikes?!?! Why is Bibi bending to international pressure?! The answer is that he is a regular politician, no better than any other freie politician. His no. 1 interest is NOT that of klal Yisroel. Let’s get that clear. UTJ and Shas are the only parties that care about Jewish lives.
Miriam is a left wing self hating jew looser.
So amazing reading comments here how expert people are on politics, military matters. Our tafkid as Yidden is to support unconditionally what is being done to safeguard us in Israel & worldwide. Stop giving advice, switch to positive support. Personally I was in uniform for one of the many wars fought. My son is on the frontline. I pray for his safety and all the chayalim they should be healthy and safe. Wishing one and all
שבת שלום ומבורך, שלום בעולם
So amazing reading comments here how expert people are on politics, military matters. Our tafkid as Yidden is to support unconditionally what is being done to safeguard us in Israel & worldwide. Stop giving advice, switch to positive support. Personally I was in uniform for one of the many wars fought. My son is on the frontline. I pray for his safety and all the chayalim they should be healthy and safe. Wishing one and all
שבת שלום ומבורך, שלום בעולם.