Gaza war: IDF identifies all eight soldiers killed in Rafah's Tel al-Sultan
File photo.
The Israeli military has identified all eight soldiers who were killed in the Gaza Strip's Rafah on Saturday (June 15). The soldiers, all members ofa combat engineering unit, were in an armoured carrier that was hit by an explosion that detonated engineering material being carried on the vehicle, apparently in contravention of standard practice.
Who were the soldiers?
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF)identified the eight soldiers who died as: Capt. (res.) Eitan Koplovich (aged 28),Senior Staff Sergeant Major (res.) Elon Waiss (aged 49),Sergeant Eliyahu Moshe Zimbalist (aged 21),Sergeant Itay Amar (aged 19),Staff Sergeant Stanislav Kostarev (aged 21),Staff Sgt. Orr Blumovitz (aged 20), andStaff Sergeant Oz Yeshaia Gruber (aged 20). Later, the eighth soldier was identified as23-year-old captain Wassem Mahmud.
Also read |Gaza war: Netanyahu pledges to stick to 'war goals' after eight soldiers were killed in Rafah
Senior Staff Sergeant Major (res.) Elon Waiss was the oldest among the group whileSergeant Itay Amar was the youngest.
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Twosoldiers from the 8th Brigade were also seriously wounded in the explosion.
The Jerusalem Post said in a report that they were transferred to a hospital for treatment.
The incident, which occurred in Rafah'sTel al-Sultan area was being investigated.
The armed wing of Hamas said the vehicle had been trapped in a prepared minefield that set off the explosion.
The deaths of the soldiers were condemned by top Israeli leaders including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The deathsmay complicate the political situation facing Netanyahu, a week after centrist former general Benny Gantz quit the government, accusing the PM of having no proper strategy for Gaza.
Netanyahu pledges to stick to 'war goals'
Netanyahu on Saturday pledged to stick to his war goals in the Gaza Strip, just after the soldiers were killed.
In a speech, he expressed his deep sorrow over the deaths, and described Hamas as“loathsome and murderous.”
Also watch |Rafah offensive: Can Netanyahu be arrested for Gaza war crimes? | WION Decodes
“Despite the heavy and staggering cost, we must stick to the goals of the war: destroying the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas, returning all our abductees, making sure that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel, and returning our residents safely to their homes – both in the north and in the south,” the prime minister said.
(With inputs from agencies)