Israeli President Isaac Herzog has mourned the deaths of seven Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers killed during combat operations in southern Gaza, describing them as “flowers plucked while defending our people and homeland.”
The soldiers were killed on Tuesday in Khan Younis when their armored combat engineering vehicle was struck by a powerful explosive device, according to an IDF statement. The blast triggered a fire that engulfed the vehicle, killing all seven personnel onboard.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Herzog said, “The fighting in Gaza is tough, the battles are fierce, and the burden is heavier than can be borne. We bow our heads and embrace the bereaved families.”
The IDF later confirmed the name of the seventh soldier, Staff Sgt. Alon Davidov, 21, from Kiryat Yam, who served as a medic in the 605th Combat Engineering Battalion.
An initial investigation suggests the explosive was planted by a Palestinian militant directly onto the moving vehicle, causing the devastating blast and subsequent fire.
The six other fallen soldiers, all members of the same battalion, have been identified as:
* Lt. Matan Shai Yashinovski
* Staff Sgt. Ronel Ben-Moshe
* Sgt. Ronen Shapiro
* Sgt. Maayan Baruch Pearlstein
* Staff Sgt. Niv Radia
* Sgt. Shahar Manoav
President Herzog expressed solidarity with the families and called for continued support for wounded soldiers and IDF personnel engaged in ongoing operations.
This incident marks one of the deadliest single-day losses for Israeli forces in recent months, as the conflict in Gaza continues to escalate.
