An Israel Defense Forces soldier was killed on Tuesday during combat operations in the southern Gaza Strip, the military announced.
Staff Sgt. Danilo Mocanu, 20, of the 7th Armored Brigade’s 82nd Battalion, from Holon, died when a building collapsed following the detonation of an explosive device in Khan Yunis. Another soldier was lightly wounded in the incident, according to the IDF.
An initial investigation determined that there had been no prior indications that the structure posed a threat, despite routine safety checks. Both canine units and drones had scanned the building before the blast occurred, the probe found.
The fatality brings the total number of soldiers killed since the outbreak of war on Oct. 7, 2023, to 858.
On Monday, another soldier, Sgt. Yosef Yehuda Chirak, 22, of the Combat Engineering Corps’ 601st Battalion, was killed in northern Gaza. A preliminary IDF probe revealed that Chirak died in a friendly-fire incident during a tunnel inspection near the 401st Armored Brigade.
The IDF stated that Chirak was standing near a tunnel shaft when he was inadvertently struck by fire from another unit securing the perimeter. His family has been informed of the findings.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement expressing condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers:
“Together with my wife and all the citizens of Israel, I mourn the profound pain of the families of Staff Sgt. Danilo Mocanu and Sgt. Yosef Yehuda Chirak, of blessed memory. Staff Sgt. Mocanu and Sgt. Chirak fell in combat in the Gaza Strip while defending the State of Israel and its citizens. We will always remember them, their heroism, and their sacrifice. May their memory be blessed and forever preserved.”
