A serious incident in the Gaza Strip nearly led to disaster after a soldier from the IDF's Yahalom engineering unit was left behind alone in the field on Tuesday, April 29. The soldier was abandoned for approximately 40 minutes in the Morgan Axis area, located between Khan Yunis and Rafah.
Reports indicate that the soldier was alone for nearly 40 minutes before managing to join a Golani unit, shouting "IDF, IDF" to avoid being mistakenly shot by fellow soldiers.
The IDF confirmed the incident, stating, "On Tuesday, an IDF force operating in southern Gaza near the border with Israel completed its operational mission and began returning to Israeli territory. During this return, a soldier was inadvertently left behind in Gaza for about 40 minutes. The soldier later joined additional IDF forces in the area. This is a serious event, currently under investigation, and lessons will be learned."
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The incident highlights the risks and challenges faced by IDF forces operating in the region. An investigation is underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the soldier's abandonment.