Netzah Yehuda soldiers walk into an explosive ambush in Beit Hanoun as gunfire follows the evacuation effort
Five Israeli soldiers from the IDF’s elite Netzah Yehuda Battalion were killed and twelve others wounded after walking into an explosive ambush in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza, on Monday, marking one of the deadliest incidents for Israeli forces in recent weeks.
According to the IDF, the soldiers were entering the area on what was described as a routine operation when a concealed explosive device was triggered, unleashing a deadly blast. The incident took place as troops advanced through a volatile neighbourhood in Beit Hanoun—an area known for complex urban warfare and heavily booby-trapped buildings.
The fallen soldiers have been named as:
- Staff Sergeant Meir Shimon Amar, 20, from Jerusalem
- Sergeant Moshe Nissim Frech, 20, from Jerusalem
- Staff Sergeant Noam Aharon Musgadian, 20, from Jerusalem
- Sergeant Major Benyamin Asulin, 28, from Haifa
A fifth soldier, also killed in the same explosion, has yet to be named as military protocol prevents release of information before family notifications are complete.
Following the blast, IDF medics and support teams rushed to evacuate the wounded, but the chaos intensified when gunfire erupted during the evacuation. Militants opened fire on soldiers attempting to provide emergency aid, escalating an already deadly situation. Twelve troops were wounded in the ensuing clash, two of them seriously. All have been airlifted to Israeli hospitals by helicopter, where they are receiving ongoing treatment.
“In this difficult hour, our hearts are with the wounded soldiers,” the Netzah Yehuda Association said in a statement. “We send a big hug and a deep prayer for their complete recovery in body and soul.”
The association also mourned the dead: “We bow our heads in honour of the fallen fighters of the Netzah Yehuda Battalion. With broken hearts, we stand alongside the families in mourning the loss of their brave sons—fighters who selflessly risked their lives for the people of Israel.”
The Netzah Yehuda Battalion is a unique unit within the Kfir Brigade, known for its combat operations in the West Bank and now deployed in Gaza’s north in ongoing IDF efforts to root out Hamas infrastructure.
Military analysts suggest the incident reflects a growing reliance by militant groups on tactical explosives and ambush-style warfare, turning every advance into a potentially lethal trap. Beit Hanoun, located in a heavily fortified urban area near the Gaza-Israel border, has been a hotspot of resistance activity since the conflict escalated in October 2023.
This latest loss pushes the number of IDF fatalities in Gaza well into triple digits, as Israeli forces continue to suffer significant casualties amid dense combat conditions, improvised explosive devices, and sniper fire. It also raises serious concerns over battlefield intelligence and the need for improved detection of buried or hidden explosive devices.
While the IDF has vowed to continue its operations in the area, Monday’s incident is a sobering reminder of the immense dangers Israeli troops face in Gaza’s urban labyrinth. The military has not announced any changes to operational strategy in the region, but investigations are underway to understand how such a deadly trap went undetected.
Israelis across the country woke up Tuesday to the sombre news, with tributes flooding social media and memorials being prepared for the fallen soldiers. Jerusalem, where three of the five came from, was especially subdued, as local communities braced to bury their sons.
The IDF has promised to release more details on the fifth soldier once the family is notified, and further updates are expected as the wounded continue to receive treatment.
