Seven Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza blast; questions raised over use of outdated APC model. Photo/X.
Seven Israeli military personnel, one officer and six soldiers, were killed in southern Gaza on Tuesday. The security forces were killed when an explosive device detonated on their vehicle, setting it ablaze, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The blast occurred around 6:30 p.m. in the city of Khan Younis, when an armored personnel carrier (APC) belonging to the IDF’s 605th Combat Engineering Battalion was struck.
In a separate incident, another soldier was severely wounded, also in southern Gaza, the IDF added in a statement released Wednesday.
A preliminary investigation by the military revealed that a militant managed to plant an explosive device on the decades-old “Puma” APC. The vehicle was carrying troops from the 605th Battalion. The explosion triggered a fire. A D9 armored bulldozer was later deployed to extinguish the flames, cover the vehicle with sand, and retrieve it back into Israeli territory.
The incident has raised questions within the Israeli military over why the Puma APC, an older model, was being used in the operation. The main armored vehicle typically used by the Combat Engineering Corps is the more modern “Namera,” which is deployed in parallel battalions currently operating in Gaza.
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Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a public statement mourning the deaths of the soldiers and naming six of them. He said, “I grieve the fall of Lieutenant Matan Shai Yashinovski, Sergeant Ronel Ben-Moshe, Sergeant Niv Radia, Sergeant Ronen Shapiro, Sergeant Shahar Manoav, Sergeant Maayan Baruch Perlstein, and another soldier whose name has not yet been released, soldiers of the 605th Combat Engineering Battalion who fell in battle in the southern Gaza Strip.”
He added, “Our soldiers fought bravely and fell during their mission to defend the State of Israel and return our hostages. I send my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and embrace them on behalf of the entire nation in their most difficult time. May their memory be blessed.”
The latest bout of the decades-old war in Gaza erupted after Hamas-led militants launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The assault killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, and 251 others were taken hostage,acccording to Israeli authorities. The Israeli military says 49 of those hostages remain in Gaza, 27 of whom are believed to be dead.
Israel launched a large-scale air and ground assault against Gaza. According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, at least 56,077 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed since the start of the conflict. The United Nations considers the ministry’s figures credible.
Since the beginning of June alone, 19 Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat in Gaza. In total, over 430 Israeli soldiers have died since the war began.
Following the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran on Tuesday by Trump, Israel’s military chief, Eyal Zamir, stated that operational focus would now shift back to the Gaza front.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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