On Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces disclosed findings from its initial investigation into a fatal explosion in the central Gaza Strip the previous day. The incident claimed the lives of six combat engineers and left several others injured. The reservists were tragically killed when explosives, intended for the demolition of a Hamas tunnel in Bureij, detonated prematurely. The IDF’s preliminary inquiry suggests that the premature explosion of the tunnel system resulted from tank shelling.
The combat engineers were in the process of preparing the tunnel for demolition, meticulously setting up explosives within the underground passages. Approximately thirty minutes prior to the planned detonation, a tank positioned close to the detonating cord fired shells at a nearby building in response to detected suspicious movement.
As per the investigation, a shell from the tank struck an electricity pole, and the ensuing blast inadvertently triggered the detonating cord. This unintended activation resulted in the premature and substantial explosion of the tunnel system while the combat engineers were still engaged in the process of preparing it for demolition.
Further investigation is underway to unravel the details of how the tank shelling led to the activation of the detonator cord. The six individuals who tragically lost their lives in the incident were identified as Sgt. First Class (res.) Gavriel Bloom, 27, from Beit Shemesh; Master Sgt. (res.) Amit Moshe Shahar, 25, from Ramat Yohanan; Cpt. (res.) Denis Krokhmalov Veksler, 32, from Beersheba; Cpt. (res.) Ron Efrimi, 26, from Hod Hasharon; Master Sgt. (res.) Roi Avraham Maimon, 24, a paramedic from Afula; and Sgt. Maj. (res.) Akiva Yasinskiy, 35, from Ramat Gan. a fatal explosion
Numerous individuals sustained injuries in the explosion, with some in serious condition. Among the casualties was entertainer Idan Amedi, a well-known singer and actor from the popular TV show “Fauda.” Amedi, who was airlifted to a hospital on Monday, was reported to be in stable condition and not facing life-threatening danger, according to his father. The incident occurred in close proximity to where officers were guiding reporters, including the present writer, on a tour of a Hamas rocket manufacturing plant.