Two More Soldiers Fall In Gaza, IDF Destroys Terror Tunnels

By FrumNews.com, with experts from Mrs. Bruria Efune’s daily war summary

Over Shabbos, Two IDF soldiers were killed in Gaza.

Sergeant Ilai Zair, 20, Hy”d of the Egoz unit, fell in battle in southern Gaza. He was from Kedar in Binyamin.

Sergeant Amitai Even Shoshan, 20, Hy”d, of the commando unit, fell in battle in Khan Younis near Gush Katif. He was from Moshav Azriel in Central Eretz Yisroel.

The Gush Etzion Council and Lev HaSharon Regional Council released the names, respectively.

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The IDF and Shin Bet announced that a senior Hamas terrorist was eliminated in an airstrike in Khan Younis (near Gush Katif) on Wednesday. The terrorist held “several key positions” in Hamas, including deputy head of internal security in Khan Younis, and as part of his role, “was involved in the advancing of major terror operations in the Gaza Strip, to harm the activities of the IDF, and was responsible for the planning and execution of significant terror attacks in Israel.”

Also, in Southern Gaza, IDF troops located and destroyed a significant weapons depot, in which more than 40 explosive devices and a ton of explosive material were found. Troops also eliminated numerous terrorists in the area, some in difficult face-to-face battles.

Earlier this week, the IDF destroyed three significant tunnels in Southern Gaza this week, all of which the IDF had known about for a long time.

The first tunnel was initially uncovered a decade ago and was targeted during the 2021 Gaza war, resulting in the deaths of several Hamas terrorists. It was struck again at the beginning of the ongoing conflict, preventing its use, and was finally blown up in recent weeks.

The second tunnel was discovered in 2014, and crossed into Israeli territory. It was mostly destroyed and blocked up then, and although Hamas made no effort to repair it, the IDF blew up another section of it inside Gaza.

The third tunnel was first discovered in 2019, and partially entered several hundred meters into Israeli territory. It remained under surveillance and control by the IDF, with sensors and explosives placed inside. The tunnel was targeted multiple times during the war, with the part entering Israeli territory rendered inoperable. The rest of the tunnel has also been destroyed in recent weeks.