The Israeli military has confirmed that two of its soldiers were killed in a deadly explosion during combat operations in southern Gaza’s Khan Yunis on Sunday.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the soldiers—aged 20 and 22—were members of the elite Golani Infantry Brigade’s 51st Battalion. The blast that claimed their lives occurred when an armoured vehicle they were operating exploded, reportedly due to an improvised explosive device (IED).
The incident follows another soldier’s death on Saturday from injuries sustained in a prior engagement last week, bringing the confirmed death toll to three within two days.
“We have lost three young heroes, some of our finest, who gave their lives for the security of our state and the return of all our hostages,” said Defence Minister Israel Katz in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Military sources believe the explosion was triggered by a militant who emerged from a tunnel and detonated the device. An official investigation is currently underway.
The total number of Israeli soldiers killed since the beginning of the Gaza ground offensive on October 27, 2023, now stands at 462, according to military reports.
Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas’s surprise October 7 attack, which left 1,219 people dead, the majority of them civilians, based on AFP’s tally of official figures.
The fighting continues to exact a heavy toll, with both military and civilian casualties rising on all sides.
