Israeli Soldier Killed in Gaza for First Time Since Renewed Fighting in Northern Strip

An Israeli soldier was killed Saturday in the northern Gaza Strip, marking the first military fatality in over three months and since the collapse of the ceasefire with Hamas. The IDF confirmed that Sergeant Major Ghalb Suleiman al-Nassara, 35, from Rahat, was killed during an operation near Beit Hanoun aimed at locating and destroying Hamas attack tunnels close to the Israeli border.

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said that Nassara, a scout in the 414th Collection Battalion operating under the 252nd Reserve Division, was killed when an explosive device was detonated on a rescue force sent to aid a team that had been attacked by terrorists emerging from a concealed tunnel shaft. Three additional soldiers were seriously injured, including a female officer, a combat medic, and another scout.

Tunnel Ambush Caught Forces Off Guard

The incident began shortly before 1:00 PM when Hamas operatives used an undiscovered tunnel to ambush Israeli troops working along a defensive axis near the border fence. The soldiers had been involved in efforts to destroy a tunnel believed to be creeping toward Israeli territory. A Hamas squad fired an RPG at an IDF vehicle, seriously wounding two soldiers.

Roughly 30 minutes later, as a rescue team arrived, an explosive device planted by Hamas was triggered, killing Nassara and severely injuring another soldier.

The IDF believes the tunnel’s use in the ambush may indicate Hamas detected Israeli efforts to uncover and destroy it. The event underscores ongoing threats posed by Gaza’s vast underground network, particularly in areas where urban neighborhoods closely border Israeli communities.

"A Man Who Always Wanted to Serve"

Sergeant Major Nassara is survived by his wife and three daughters. His family, a prominent Bedouin family in Rahat, has a long history of military service. His father, Saliman, also served as a scout in the same Northern Brigade before dying of illness. Ghalb insisted on serving in the same unit, despite being an only child.

“Ghalb was a smiling man, who always did good and helped everyone,” his uncle told N12. “This is a great loss, not only for our family, but for the entire country.”

Nassara, an athletic man who loved motorcycles and martial arts, will be laid to rest Sunday at 11:00 AM in Rahat.

Operation  and the Growing Security Buffer

Nassara’s unit was part of Israel’s ongoing Operation “Strength and Sword,” focused on expanding a defensive buffer zone along the Gaza border. This zone, modeled after past efforts in southern Lebanon, includes dozens of forward IDF outposts stretching from Kerem Shalom in the south to Zikim near the northern coast.

Recent efforts by Southern Command have focused on detecting and destroying cross-border tunnels—some within 500 to 1,000 meters of the fence—that pose a direct threat to adjacent Israeli communities. At least two such tunnels were located and demolished in the past month alone.

Security officials now believe the buffer zone must be further expanded, particularly in areas like Shuja’iyya and Beit Lahiya, where dense urban development abuts the border.

Casualties Mark Resumption of Hostilities

Saturday’s incident is the first IDF fatality in Gaza since the temporary ceasefire collapsed in March. The last fatal combat engagement occurred on January 13, when five Nahal Brigade soldiers were killed in a building explosion in Beit Hanoun. During the ceasefire, two soldiers—Maj. Gen. (res.) Nadav Cohen and Sgt. Nahman Rafael Ben Ami—were killed in a non-combat-related incident.

According to the IDF, 848 Israeli soldiers and civilians have fallen since the war began on October 7.

Casualties on the Palestinian Side

Meanwhile, Palestinian sources reported ongoing Israeli operations in Khan Yunis, with at least 92 Gazans killed and 219 injured in the past two days, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. The Palestinian news agency "Shehab" also reported Israeli strikes on the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone, west of Khan Yunis, resulting in at least three deaths and dozens of injuries.