The IDF spokesman allowed publication: 21 IDF reservists were killed yesterday in a serious incident in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. Among the dead: Major (responsible) Matan Lazar, 32 years old from Haifa, a fighter in Battalion 6261, Brigade 261, a graduate of Class C (2009) of the Reali School
Published on: 23.1.24 07:20
By: Hagit Hornstein
Published: 21 IDF reserve soldiers were killed yesterday (Monday) in a serious incident in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. The heavy disaster was apparently caused by the firing of two RPG missiles that were fired yesterday afternoon at a tank and buildings where the fighters were staying, while they were trying to blow up the buildings them.
Initially, the IDF spokesman announced ten deaths: Major General (responsible) Matan Lazar, 32 years old from Haifa, a fighter in Battalion 6261, Brigade 261, a graduate of Class C (2009) of the Reali School; Maj. Gen. (res.) Hadar Keflok, 23 years old from Mvo Beitar, platoon commander in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261; Maj. Gen. (res.) Sergey Guntmacher, 37 years old from Ramat Gan, fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261; Major General (responsible) Elkana Yehuda Sepaz, 25 years old from Kiryat Arba, fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261; Major General (responsible) Yuval Lops, 27 years old from Alon Shabot, fighter in Battalion 9206, Brigade 205; Major (res.) Yoav Levy, 29 years old from Yehud-Monoson, fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261; Major (res.) Nicholas Berger, 22 years old from Jerusalem, fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261; Maj. Gen. (res.) Cedric Green, 23 years old from Tel Aviv-Yafo, fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261; Maj. Gen. (res.) Raphael Elias Moshioff, 33 years old from Pardes Hana-Karkur, fighter in Battalion 6261, Brigade 261; Maj. Gen. (res.) Barak Haim Ben Walid, 33 years old from Rishon Lezion, platoon commander in Battalion 6261, Brigade 261; Maj. Gen. (res.) Itamar Tal, 32 years old from Kibbutz Misilot, fighter in Battalion 6261, Brigade 261; Maj. Gen. (res.) Adam Bismot, 35 years old, from the Shomron Rays, platoon commander in Battalion 6261, Brigade 261; Maj. Gen. (res.) Shai Biton Hayon, 40 years old from Zichron Ya’akov, fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261; Maj. Gen. (res.) Daniel Kassau Zagiya, 38 years old from Mikneam Illit, fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261; Maj. Gen. (res.) Ahmed Abu Latif, 26 years old from Mahrat, fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261; Captain (res.) Nir Binyamin, 29 years old from Givatayim, a fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261; Maj. (res.) Elkana Wiesel, 35 years old from Bnei Dekalim, platoon commander in Battalion 8208 of the 261st Brigade; Maj. (res.) Israel Sokol, 24 years old from Karni Shomron, fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261; Captain (res.) Ariel Mordechai Wolfstal, 28 years old from Elazar, a fighter in Battalion 9206 of the 205th Brigade; Major General (responsible) Sagi Idan, 24 years old from Rosh Ha’Ein, fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261; Major General (responsible) Mark Kononovitch, 35 years old from Herzliya, fighter in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261.
The funeral of the late Matan Lazar will be held today (Tuesday) at 1:00 PM at the military cemetery in Haifa. The oath will be held at the family home at 78 Habiva Reich Street.
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A preliminary investigation of the disaster reveals that a combined force of infantry, engineering and armor from the 8208 reserve battalion arrived yesterday morning from the Kissofim sector for the task of clearing the area in the buffer strip. The fighters located ten two-story buildings at a distance of about 600 meters from the border, on the Gaza side, which they were assigned to destroy. With the help of an engineering company, the fighters capture the buildings in preparation for their explosion, while the armored and infantry forces secure their activities. At around 16:00 a terrorist approached the place, not identified, and fired an RPG missile at the tank that secured the operation. As a result, two fighters were killed in the tank and two others were wounded.
Another anti-tank missile was launched at two adjacent houses where dozens of fighters were staying, and its explosion caused the activation of bombs that were used by the fighters to destroy the buildings. The explosions led to the complete collapse of both buildings.
Following the declaration of an AR (major casualty incident), large IDF forces were rushed to the scene for rescue operations.
IDF spokesman Brigadier General Daniel Hagari (photo from Channel 12)
