Left to Die: Inside the Avoidable Deaths of 7 IDF Combat Engineers 

An investigation into the attack that killed seven combat engineers in Khan Yunis has revealed significant equipment failures that may have contributed to the tragedy, according to a report by Kann News.

The report indicates that the exit hatch on the Puma armored personnel carrier was broken, and soldiers had testified that commanders were aware of the malfunction. According to the investigation, soldiers had improvised a solution by tying the hatch open with rope, creating an opening through which the explosive device was thrown into the vehicle.

Additional equipment failures included non-functioning cameras on the APC, which had reportedly been out of order for an extended period.

The Fallen Soldiers

The seven soldiers killed in the incident were all members of Battalion 605: Cpl. Alon Davidov, 21, from Kiryat Yam; Lt. Matan Shai Yashinovski, 21, from Kfar Yona; Cpl. Ronel Ben-Moshe, 20, from Rehovot; Cpl. Niv Radia, 20, from Elhulin; Sgt. Ronen Shapiro, 19, from Mazkeret Batya; Sgt. Shahar Manoav, 21, from Ashkelon; and Sgt. Maayan Baruch Pearlstein, 20, from Ashhar.

Equipment Concerns Raised

The incident has highlighted broader concerns about equipment allocation within the IDF. A father of a soldier in the battalion had previously raised concerns about the unit's use of outdated equipment, citing budgetary constraints as the reason for the lack of perimeter cameras or Trophy active protection systems.

"This is the only battalion with old Puma vehicles, which are outdated. Other battalions use Namer APCs," the father said. "The vehicles are so old that every few weeks the engine has to be replaced."

He noted that a newly established battalion, 607, has been equipped with newer Namer APCs and questioned why these vehicles were not transferred to the battalion already deployed in Gaza since January.

Parents' Letter

Following the incident, parents of soldiers in the battalion sent a letter to the battalion commander expressing their concerns about equipment and safety standards.

"We are shocked and horrified by the negligence that became apparent in full force during the serious and horrifying event in which we lost seven precious soldiers, our finest sons whom we entrusted to you, due to gross negligence," the parents wrote.

The letter characterized the incident as "avoidable and preventable" and criticized the fact that their battalion was "the only one in the IDF still using old, faulty vehicles without the protection that every other infantry battalion, including other engineering battalions, receives as standard."