Warrant Officer G’haleb Sliman Alnasasra, 35, a Bedouin tracker from the southern Israeli city of Rahat, was killed on Saturday during an exchange of fire with Hamas terrorists in northern Gaza, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
The fatal incident took place near Beit Hanoun, where Hamas operatives emerged from a concealed tunnel and fired a rocket-propelled grenade at an IDF vehicle. A secondary explosive device was detonated shortly after, wounding several troops and fatally injuring Alnasasra. Three additional soldiers, including a female officer, a combat medic and another tracker, were seriously hurt and evacuated by helicopter to hospitals in Israel.
Warrant Officer G'haleb Sliman Alnasasra, aged 35 from the Bedouin community in Rahat, a tracker in the Northern Brigade, Gaza Division, fell during combat in northern Gaza.
— LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) April 19, 2025
During the incident in which he fell, another tracker in the Northern Brigade was severely injured.… pic.twitter.com/nyVEUm1RaN
Alnasasra’s death marks the first Israeli combat casualty in Gaza since the collapse of the ceasefire and resumption of hostilities on March 18.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opened his statement on Saturday night by paying tribute to the fallen soldier.
“We send heartfelt condolences to the family of Warrant Officer G’haleb Alnasasra, of blessed memory. The people of Israel mourn with you and salute his heroism,” said Netanyahu, adding wishes for a swift recovery for the wounded.
According to the military, the attack targeted troops operating near IDF Post 40 during a mission to secure a newly discovered Hamas tunnel. Forces from the 414th Combat Intelligence Collection Unit were among those caught in the ambush. Northern Brigade commander Col. Omri Mashiah was also present when the second explosion occurred.
In response, Israeli forces conducted extensive airstrikes across northern Gaza, hitting over 150 Hamas-linked sites and reportedly eliminating dozens of operatives over the weekend.
Alnasasra served in the Gaza Division’s Northern Brigade as part of an elite tracker unit responsible for detecting threats and uncovering hidden terrorist infrastructure. His loss comes as Israeli forces expand a security buffer zone inside Gaza, now estimated to encompass more than 30% of the territory.
As of Sunday, 848 Israeli soldiers have been killed since Hamas’s Oct. 7 assault, including 411 during the ground campaign in Gaza.
