3 More Soldiers Killed in Gaza, Bringing Total to 245 in Ground Offensive

By Yoni Weiss

On Motzoei Shabbos, the IDF confirmed the deaths of three soldiers during fighting in the southern Gaza Strip on Friday.

The slain soldiers were identified as Sgt. Dolev Malka, Hy”d, 19, from Shlomi; Sgt. Afik Tery, 19, from Rechovot, Hy”d, and Sgt. Yinon Yitzchak, Hy”d, 19, from Mitzpe Ramon, all part of the Bislamach Brigade’s 450th Battalion. The incident occurred when troops raided a booby-trapped building in the Khan Yunis area, resulting in their deaths. An initial IDF probe revealed that the building was rigged with explosive devices inside and outside.

The blast caused 14 other troops to be wounded, six of them seriously. Two soldiers were trapped inside the building, prompting the dispatch of the Air Force’s search and rescue Unit 669. The IDF’s investigation includes examining the troops’ scanning of the building, the placement of explosives, and other circumstances surrounding the incident. According to the IDF, several Hamas operatives were killed by troops in the area during the incident.

The Bislamach Brigade, responsible for infantry corps professions and squad commanders’ training during wartime, entered Gaza on Thursday to replace the Paratroopers Brigade. The latter had been withdrawn after three consecutive months of fighting in Khan Yunis. The three soldiers killed were formerly part of the Kfir Brigade’s Nachshon Battalion and were undergoing a squad commander’s course. The 98th Division is conducting a thorough investigation into the events.