6 officers, 4 soldiers of elite IOF units killed in Gaza's al-Shujaiya

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
13 Dec 2023 09:16
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The IOF spokesperson announces that several soldiers were critically injured.

Israeli soldiers carry the casket of a slain commander, occuppied Palestine, Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 (AP)

Earlier today, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) acknowledged that 8 soldiers were killed, most of whom were officers, in battles in northern Gaza yesterday.

IOF spokesperson announced the death of 6 officers:

Lt. Col. Tomer Grinberg, 35, the commander of the Golani Brigade’s 13th Battalion.
Col. Itzhak Ben Basat, 44, head of the Golani Brigade’s commander’s team, former head of the Yiftah Brigade.
Maj. Roei Meldasi, 23, a company commander in the Golani Brigade’s 13th Battalion.
Maj. Moshe Avram Bar On, 23, a company commander in the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion.
Cpt. Liel Hayo, 22, a platoon commander in the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion.
Maj. Ben Shelly, 26, a squad commander in the Israeli Air Force’s Unit 669.

As for the dead soldiers, they include First Class Sergeant Rom Hecht, 20, of the Israeli Air Force’s Unit 669, Staff Sgt. Oriya Yaakov, 19, of the Combat Engineering Corps’ 614th Battalion, Sgt. Achia Daskal, 19, a soldier in the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion, and Sgt. Eran Aloni, 19, of the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion.

The IOF spokesperson also reported critical injuries.

High-end guerilla warfare in al-Shujaiya

Israeli media reported that the Israeli officers and soldiers were slain during confrontations in al-Shujaiya neighborhood.

The Resistance had executed a meticulously planned compound operation.

According to a Haaretz report, in al-Shujaiyya, the Resistance had engaged in fierce combat with a Golani force drawing them into a booby-trapped building, detonating it and taking out several soldiers in the bombing. Several soldiers were wounded and contact was lost with others in the first attack, Haaretz reported.

Reinforcements then arrived at the site covered by the Israeli occupation Air Force and artillery. By then, another explosive was detonated at the site, taking out the second team, the Haaretz report revealed.

A third team was dispatched to a search-and-rescue mission for the disconnected soldier, but they too fell to injuries in the fighting.

This recent operation brings the total number of Israeli soldiers killed since the start of the ground invasion of Gaza to 115.

Worst Day for IOF since October 7

Israeli Maariv military correspondent described what happened as being a "well-executed ambush".

"The Golani force, which was present there initially, came under heavy gunfire. During the rescue operation, the unit which arrived also came under heavy gunfire, and as a result, the unit entered the booby-trapped building."

"The injuries were severe, and part of the building collapsed on the Israeli forces inside."

"This morning is the toughest since the start of the war, and the incident was very difficult," the Channel 12 anchor said.

According to Israeli media, the Golani Brigade's 13th Battalion, which announced this morning that its commander was killed, has sustained the severest casualties since October 7, such that 41 of their soldiers were killed.

On his part, the military correspondent of Channel 13 described the incident faced by the Golani force as being "very complex and dangerous" and voiced concerns on behalf of the IOF about the possible apprehension of the bodies of slain Golani soldiers, hinting at the possibility of there being other casualties.