Israel At War 21 Reserve Soldiers Killed HYD

Israel at war day 109

- Reuters: Israel  and Hamas agree in principle to a pause/ceasefire for a month in exchange for release of hostages. A few details remain 

- IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari says ground troops have killed more than 100 Hamas operatives in the west Khan Younis area today, during intensive battles.

- White house Communications director John Kirby says, "discussions are sober and serious" about securing a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas.

- Hamas rejects Israel's proposal for a 2 month pause in exchange for releasing all hostages 

- Hezbollah fires missile at IDF base in Miron, base lightly damaged

- According to new details from the IDF's investigation of yesterday's blast in central Gaza, killing 21 soldiers, the Hamas operatives fired an RPG missile at a building while hiding in a nearby plantation. Two buildings, some 600 meters from the Israeli border, had been rigged up with around 20 mines for detonation. The RPG fire from a few dozen meters away likely set off the mines, causing the structures to collapse and killing 19 soldiers inside and near them.

In deadliest incident of Gaza war, 21 soldiers killed as 2 buildings collapse in blast

Hamas causes buildings collapse - 21 IDF soldiers dead, several injured. Total killed since Gaza ground op is 221.

This news comes after three soldiers were killed in battle the day before.

Hamas forces on Monday fired a rocket propelled grenade on multiple adjacent structures which, along with landmines which the IDF forces had collected and brought into the buildings, caused a total collapse, which in turn killed 21 soldiers and injured several others. The incident occurred around 4:00 p.m. in al-Muasi in central Gaza.

 

In addition, a separate rocket propelled grenade was fired on an IDF tank which killed two IDF soldiers and injured two others.

It was unclear if the soldiers had violated procedures by bringing the landmines into the structures with them and also unclear how much the collapse of the building was caused by the RPG versus the secondary landmines explosions.

The IDF forces who were harmed were mostly reservists assigned to clear certain areas of dangerous items, such as mines.

Rescue activities went on for hours, It was unclear what happened to the Hamas attackers.

The IDF released the names of 10 soldiers of the 21 that were killed.

- Matan Lazar, 32, from Chaifa

- Hadar Kapeluk, 23, from Moshav Mevo Beitar  - Sergey Gontmaher, 37, from Ramat Gan, 

- Elkana Yehuda Sfez, 25, from Kiryat Arba

- Yoval Lopez, 27, from Alon Shvut 

- Yoav Levi, 29, from Yehud-Monoson 

- Nicholas Berger, 22, from Yerushalayim

- Cydrick Garin, 23, from Tel Aviv-Yafo

- Rafael Elias Mosheyoff, 33, from Pardes Hanna-Karkur 

- Barak Haim Ben Valid, 33, from Rishon Lezion - Itamar Tal, 32, from Kibbutz Mesilot

- Adam Bismut, 35, from Karnei Shomron 

- Yoval Lopez, 27, from Alon Shvut

- Ariel Mordechay Wollfstal, 28, from Elazar 

- Ahmad Abu latif 26, from Rahat

- Nir Binyamin,29, Givatayim

- Israel Socol, 24, Karnei Shomron

- Sagi Idan,  24,Rosh Hayin

- Mark Kononovich, 35, Herzliya

- Shay Biton Hayun, 40, zichron Yaakov

- Zegeye Daniel kasau, 38, Yokneam

Israeli officials' comments

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "Yesterday, we experienced one of the most difficult days since the outbreak of the war. The IDF has launched an investigation into the disaster. We must learn the necessary lessons and do everything to preserve the lives of our soldiers. In the name of our heroes, for the sake of our lives, we will not stop fighting until absolute victory."

President Isaac Herzog wrote that "behind every name whose world has fallen apart - a family that we take to our hearts with sorrow and pain, and at the same time with pride - for the heroism of the generation."