Five Israeli Officers, Soldiers Killed in Gaza During IDF Operation

Five Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers on reserve duty lost their lives during a recent operation conducted by Battalion 8111 in the southern Gaza Strip.

In the operation, shots were fired at IDF forces from a school. Responding to the threat, soldiers initiated a targeted raid on terror infrastructure sites in the vicinity of the school.

During the intense battle, an explosive device was detonated at the forces, prompting the identification of terrorists in the area, IDF said. The troops responded with live fire, coordinated air and tank support, engaged the militants, and targeted the surrounding terror infrastructure.

Tragically, during the operation, IDF soldiers in reserve duty—Major Eviatar Cohen, Major Roman Bronshtein, Captain Eliya Yanovsky, Sergeant Major Etay Perry, and Master Sergeant Ari Yehiel Zenilman—were killed. Their families have been notified.

In a parallel operation, soldiers from the 4th Brigade conducted a targeted raid on an Islamic Jihad command center, uncovering a cache of weapons, mortar shells, explosive devices, technological equipment, including detonation systems, intelligence-gathering documents, and a tunnel shaft leading to underground infrastructure, which was subsequently neutralized.

Since the commencement of the 4th Brigade's operations in the southern Gaza Strip, significant progress has been made in striking terror targets and in eliminating numerous militants.

As per newly released IDF data, 20 of the 105 Israeli soldiers killed in the Gaza Strip during the ground offensive died due to friendly fire and other accidents.