The IDF is investigating a fierce battle in Gaza that left two soldiers dead on Friday, amid mounting concerns over operational challenges in an area dense with underground tunnels, the military said Tuesday.
Sgt. Neta Yitzhak Kahana and Capt. Ido Voloch were killed during a firefight against Hamas terrorists in the Shijaiyah neighborhood of Gaza City, approximately 1.5 kilometers (less than one mile) from the Israeli border. The fighting unfolded as troops sought to destroy terrorist infrastructure and extend a security buffer zone near the border, military officials said.
According to testimonies, IDF forces encountered significant tactical dilemmas fighting in a heavily urbanized landscape laced with hidden tunnel networks. The military had earlier seized control of an elevated position providing a clear line of sight toward Israeli communities near the border, establishing observation points on the Gaza side to prevent rocket and missile attacks.
The operation began with a planned demolition of Hamas infrastructure. However, terrorists emerged from a tunnel and opened fire, killing Kahana. Reinforcements, including six tanks, arrived within 12 minutes to secure the area.
The IDF said that during the evacuation of wounded soldiers, at least five squads of Hamas fighters lying in ambush emerged from hidden tunnels, launching small-arms fire and anti-tank missiles along the extraction route. Despite the heavy attack, IDF forces managed to kill at least nine Hamas operatives in the exchange.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
During the extraction, Voloch was killed when a missile struck his tank. The IDF noted that, despite the intensity of the ambush, none of the wounded soldiers later succumbed to their injuries. "The fighting force exhibited calm and experience gathered throughout the war, many of them having spent more time in uniform than not since the conflict began," military officials said.
The army said its investigation would also examine intelligence failures, noting that despite prior IDF control of the area, hidden Hamas tunnels had gone undetected.
"Mistakes were made during the fighting and we will learn from them," the IDF said in a statement.