Captain Roy Biran have been Killed in a Gaza Explosion - the 10th IDF Fatality This Month

Captain Roy Biran, 21, from the settlement of Shorashim, was killed Thursday night in an explosion that occurred outside a building previously secured by the IDF in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza. Biran, who served as a team commander in the elite Golani Patrol, was posthumously promoted to the rank of captain.

According to the IDF, the incident occurred shortly after Biran exited the building, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the explosion and how it led to his fatal injuries.

Funeral and Tributes

Captain Biran’s funeral will be held today at 1:00 PM in the military section of the cemetery in Nahalal.

His aunt, Orna, delivered a moving eulogy:

"Rei was an inspiring figure — dedicated, moral, imbued with a mission and love for humanity. A beloved nephew, a role model for his cousins, who all wanted to be near him, to be touched by his light, his smile, the love he radiated everywhere. Rei is a huge source of pride — and a longing that will never end."

A Rising Toll in Gaza

Captain Biran is the tenth soldier to fall in the Gaza Strip since July began.

Just two days earlier, Sergeant (res.) Avraham Azoulay, 25, an engineering equipment operator in the Southern Command, was killed in Khan Yunis by terrorists who emerged from a tunnel and attempted to kidnap him.

Earlier this week, on Monday, five soldiers were killed in a deadly IED ambush in Beit Hanoun while surrounding a house occupied by armed militants. The fallen are:

• Sergeant (res.) Binyamin Assulin

• Sergeant Moshe Shmuel Nol

• Sergeant Noam Aharon Masagdian

• Sergeant Meir Shimon Amar

• Sergeant Moshe Nissim Paresh

War Casualties Since October 7

Since the outbreak of the war on October 7, 2023, 890 fallen soldiers and civilians have been publicly identified. Since the resumption of hostilities on March 18, following the breakdown of a ceasefire with Hamas, 39 IDF soldiers have died in Gaza combat, along with:

• One fighter in the Border Guard's undercover unit

• One engineering operator for the Ministry of Defense

In addition, three more fatalities have been confirmed during this period:

• A soldier killed by a missile fired from Iran while at home

• A soldier killed in an operational vehicle accident near the Gaza border

• A soldier who died in a military car crash in the Golan Heights

The IDF continues its operations across southern and northern Gaza as fighting intensifies, particularly in Khan Yunis and Beit Hanoun, areas where most of the recent casualties have occurred.