4 Soldiers Killed in Hamas Attack on Tank in Jabaliya - IDF Investigating Vulnerabilities

The IDF has confirmed that five soldiers from the Netzah Yehuda Battalion were killed and 14 others wounded, including two in serious condition, during a deadly ambush and IED explosion Monday night in the Beit Hanoun area of northern Gaza. This marks one of the most severe incidents involving IDF forces in recent weeks.

The military has released the names of two of the fallen soldiers:

• Sergeant Meir Shimon Amar (20), Jerusalem

• Sergeant Moshe Nissim Paresh (20), Jerusalem

The IDF noted that the remainder of the names will be released after families have been notified.

Ambush Unfolded During Ground Maneuver

The incident occurred around 10:00 PM during an offensive operation initiated by the IDF in Beit Hanoun. According to a preliminary investigation by the Southern Command, the Netzah Yehuda force was advancing on foot near an area where tanks and engineering vehicles were operating.

An improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near the soldiers, and as rescue forces rushed in, they came under heavy gunfire, in what is believed to be a coordinated Hamas ambush.

Ongoing Offensive in Northern Gaza

The Netzah Yehuda fighters were part of an operation launched over the weekend by two brigade combat teams—the 646th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade and the Northern Brigade from the Gaza Division. The target: a fortified Hamas compound on the outskirts of Beit Hanoun, near the border fence.

IDF forces had conducted aerial and artillery strikes in the area throughout the week leading up to the operation, in preparation for the ground assault.

Rising Casualties Since Hostage Deal Stalemate

Since the beginning of the war in October 2023, 888 IDF soldiers have been killed, including 446 during the ground maneuver in Gaza. Notably, 39 of those deaths occurred after the last hostage deal ended.

The loss of five Netzah Yehuda soldiers in a single event surpasses the battalion’s total combat deaths throughout the entire war until now. Prior to this incident, four soldiers from Netzah Yehuda—formerly known as "Nahal Haredi"—were killed in the Gaza Strip, including three in a similar IED explosion in May 2024.

Largest Loss Since “Puma Disaster” in Khan Yunis

The Beit Hanoun ambush is the deadliest IDF incident in Gaza since the “Puma disaster” in Khan Yunis two weeks ago, when an officer and six combat engineering troops were killed in an IED blast that struck an armored personnel carrier.

It also follows a deadly June incident in Rafah, where eight IDF fighters died when an anti-tank missile hit an armored carrier.

Heightened Tensions in Northern Gaza

The Beit Hanoun area, situated near the border with Israel, has seen repeated IDF incursions since the launch of the ground operation in late 2023. Alarms were activated twice overnight in nearby Israeli communities, likely linked to the same combat zone.

The IDF has vowed to continue its operations in northern Gaza, with senior officials warning that Hamas has heavily booby-trapped urban areas, posing grave risks to troops operating on the ground.