The IDF announced on Friday that four Israeli soldiers were killed and five others were wounded in Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip, when a bomb detonated, causing a building to collapse on the troops clearing the area.
Among the five wounded soldiers, one was seriously wounded and the rest were moderately wounded.
The incident occurred at approximately 6 a.m., IDF Spokesperson Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin stated.
Warrant Officer, (Warr. Ofc.) Chen Gross, and Staff Sergeant (St.-Sgt.) Yoav Raver were named as two of the four wounded.
The names of the two additional soldiers have not yet been cleared for publication and will be published later. Their families have been notified.
Warr. Ofc. Gross, 33, from Gan Yoshiya, served as a reserve soldier in the Maglan Unit, Commando Brigade.
St.-Sgt. Raver, 19, from Sde Warburg, served in the IDF’s elite Yahalom unit. The Drom Hasharon Regional Council expressed deep sorrow and extended condolences to Raver's family following the news of his death.
A reserve officer in the Maglan Unit, Commando Brigade, was severely wounded in the incident, has been evacuated to a hospital to receive medical treatment, and his family has been notified.
The army is using various methods to counter Hamas’s regular use of explosives, Brig.-Gen. Defrin stated.
When asked why soldiers are sent into buildings instead of using airstrikes, Defrin responded that sometimes it's necessary to investigate tunnel routes or other terror infrastructure, though he could not elaborate further.
The IDF held a security assessment Friday morning at the Southern Command, where senior officials, including Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, reviewed and approved ongoing operational plans in Gaza. A preliminary investigation into the deadly incident was also presented. While no specific findings were disclosed, Defrin emphasized that lessons will be learned.
הרמטכ״ל קיים הערכת מצב ואישור תוכניות להמשך המערכה בפיקוד הדרוםהרמטכ״ל, רב-אלוף אייל זמיר, מפקד פיקוד הדרום, אלוף יניב עשור ואלופי פורום המטה הכללי קיימו היום הערכת מצב ואישור תוכניות מבצעיות בפיקוד הדרום, להמשך המערכה ברצועת עזה.כמו כן, הוצג לרמטכ״ל תחקיר ראשוני על אירוע… pic.twitter.com/TYYjNPkSIu
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) June 6, 2025
IDF’s efforts to destroy terror infrastructure
The operation took place as part of the IDF’s efforts to destroy terror infrastructure in the area, aiming to establish continuous control. The building that the troops entered is situated above a tunnel system, so it was necessary to enter and investigate it, Walla reported.
The deaths of these four soldiers bring the total number of soldiers killed this week to eight.
On Wednesday, the IDF announced St.-Sgt.-Maj. (res.) Alon Farkas's death, and the day before, announced the deaths of three soldiers - St.-Sgt. Lior Steinberg, St.-Sgt. Ofek Barhana, St.-Sgt. Omer Van Gelder - killed in Jabalya when an improvised explosive device hit their vehicle.