The Israeli military announced the death of an occupation soldier during an assault on Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. 

According to Israeli media, the soldier, a staff sergeant in Battalion 82 of the 7th Armored Brigade of the Israeli occupation forces (IOF), was killed in a building collapse in Khan Younis, which also wounded another soldier. 

عاجل| جيش الاحتلال يعلن رسميا مقتل جندي من سرية استطلاع وهجوم في اللواء السابع خلال المعارك جنوب قطاع غزة pic.twitter.com/hPMIzHkiiO

— المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام (@PalinfoAr) May 21, 2025

IOF probe incident 

According to an Israeli Army Radio correspondent, an investigation into the incident was launched. The findings detailed that the soldiers had been entrenched in a booby-trapped four-story building. After entering the building, an explosive device planted inside was detonated, triggering the collapse of the structure. 

Initial findings indicate that the explosive devices were planted by Palestinian Resistance fighters, which prompted another IOF probe into how the device was activated. 

When the building collapsed, the sergeant was killed, while another was wounded. Israeli forces attempted to retrieve their bodies in a multi-hour operation. According to Israeli reports, the search began in the afternoon and concluded late at night.

The correspondent noted that "Long hours of ambiguity and tension lasted until the incident was finally concluded and the soldier’s family was informed."

Israeli Channel 14 also commented on the incident, saying, "Why don't they [Israeli soldiers] learn the lesson and not walk into death traps?"

IOF deaths mounting 

Yesterday, the Israeli occupation military acknowledged the death of one of its soldiers during ongoing confrontations in northern Gaza. 

Around a week and a half prior, additional Israeli soldiers were reportedly killed in separate operations by the Palestinian Resistance.

According to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, one soldier was killed at the time during confrontations in the al-Janina neighborhood of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. He was reportedly struck when an RPG hit a building during the confrontations. Two other soldiers were injured in the same incident.

In the same area, another soldier from the Golani Brigade was killed when an explosive device detonated beneath a tank from the 188th Brigade, wounding the entire crew.

Additionally, a Reserve Sergeant First Class was killed in an operational traffic accident near Nahal Oz along the Gaza border. The soldier was reportedly struck by a truck during an engineering mission. The exact circumstances remain under investigation.

Read more: Nine Israeli soldiers injured in Gaza Resistance operation