Seven Combat Engineering Soldiers Killed by IED Attached to APC in Gaza

In one of the deadliest incidents for Israeli forces in recent weeks, seven soldiers from the IDF’s 605th Combat Engineering Battalion were killed in southern Gaza when an explosive device was attached to their armored personnel carrier (APC). The attack occurred in the Khan Younis area, a focal point of ongoing combat between the IDF and Hamas.

According to a preliminary investigation by the Israel Defense Forces, a terrorist managed to approach the APC, identified as a “Puma” vehicle from the 188th Armored Brigade, and attach an improvised explosive device (IED) to it.

The explosion occurred at approximately 6:30 PM.

The powerful blast killed all seven soldiers inside.

The fallen soldiers have been identified as:

Efforts to rescue those in the APC were complicated by fire caused by the explosion. Emergency teams, including a military bulldozer, were dispatched to the scene. The bulldozer was used to cover the burning vehicle with sand and later to extract it from the Gaza Strip.

This incident comes amid heavy clashes in Khan Younis, considered by the IDF to be among the most complex and dangerous battlegrounds in Gaza. Earlier the same day, at 4:25 PM, another unit from the 605th Battalion, operating alongside the 51st Battalion Combat Team, was targeted by anti-tank fire in the same area. Two soldiers were wounded in that attack, one seriously and the other lightly.

The Khan Younis region falls under the operational responsibility of Division 36, commanded by Brigadier General Moran Omer. The area has been a central focus of IDF operations against Hamas infrastructure and personnel.

This loss marks a significant blow to the IDF’s combat engineering forces and highlights the continued risks faced by ground units operating in dense urban combat zones within the Gaza Strip.