IDF Soldier Sgt. Maj. Danilo Mocano Killed in Southern Gaza During Operation "Gideon's Chariots"

A 20-year-old Holon native was killed in a building collapse caused by an explosive device; the second soldier to fall in the operation

The IDF announced Wednesday morning that Sergeant Major Danilo Mocano, 20, from Holon, a fighter in the 82nd Battalion of the 7th "Golan Storm" Armored Division, was killed in battle in the southern Gaza Strip.

According to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, Mocano died after an explosive device detonated, causing the collapse of the building where he was operating. Another soldier was lightly injured in the same incident and was evacuated to the hospital for treatment.

Mocano is the second IDF soldier to fall in the framework of Operation "Gideon's Chariots", the latest phase of the ongoing military campaign in Gaza. His death brings the total number of IDF fallen soldiers since the start of the war to 858.

Second Casualty in the Operation

Just a day earlier, the IDF cleared for publication that Sergeant Yosef Yehuda Hirak, a soldier in the 601st Engineering Battalion, was killed by friendly fire during operational activity in the northern Gaza Strip.

According to an initial investigation, Hirak’s unit had entered a building to examine and destroy a tunnel shaft. At the time, another IDF company was assigned to secure the force, and mistakenly opened fire, resulting in his death.

The incident occurred while the 401st Brigade Combat Team was working to dismantle terrorist infrastructure both above and below ground. The IDF described the event as a tragic case of two-sided fire during a complex combat situation.

Sergeant Yosef Yehuda Hirak was laid to rest Tuesday afternoon at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem.

The IDF has launched a thorough investigation into both incidents, as fighting continues in the Gaza Strip under heightened operational complexity and risk.