5 soldiers killed over weekend- 4 of them reservists; 7 others wounded during fighting in Gaza City

IDF says 337 soldiers have died since start of Gaza War ground campaign

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Three IDF reserve soldiers were killed in an explosion while fighting against Hamas in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City on Friday, the IDF announced on Saturday evening.

The explosion wounded seven other soldiers, with four sustaining serious injuries and three moderately injured.

A fourth reserve soldier was killed during a firefight with Palestinian terrorists at the nearby Netzarim Corridor.

The soldiers were listed as: Sgt.-Maj. (Res.) Danil Pechenyuk, 26, Staff-Sgt. (Res.) Evyatar Atuar, 24, and Sgt.-Maj. (Res.) Nitai Metodi, 23, from Ashkelon, served in the 6310th Reconnaissance Battalion in the 16th (Jerusalem) Brigade.

Warrant Officer (Res.) Yaniv Itzhak Oren, 35, served in the 8119th Battalion in the 16th (Jerusalem) Brigade.

All four reserve soldiers were part of the Jerusalem Brigade, which is currently fighting Hamas forces in Gaza City. The brigade has been focused on exposing and destroying the tunnel network in the city, as well as looking for signs of Israeli hostages.

The explosion came from an Improved Explosive Device (IED) set off by Hamas operatives in Gaza City in the central Strip.

During a press briefing on Saturday evening, IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Daniel Hagari reported the events that led to the deaths of the Israeli troops.

“Yesterday in the early morning three IDF fighters fell during a raid on the Zeitoun area, as a result of the Zeitoun explosion. Another IDF soldier fell in a confrontation with terrorists. Four reserve soldiers; heroes of Israel. May their memory be blessed. We do not forget, and must not forget, the unbearable heavy price paid by many families in Israeli society.”

Hagari noted that “the explosive was not inside the building: it was outside, in the wall, and was detonated from the other side of the wall.” He said the IDF is “learning from this operational event" and "applying those lessons. Unfortunately, in combat, there are casualties.”

The IDF spokesman said a reconnaissance unit entered the building where the explosive was hidden, while a larger group of soldiers waited outside. The Israeli military believes the IED was hidden in the wall and was detonated remotely, possibly via a camera used to detect the presence of soldiers.

According to the IDF, a Hamas cell of four gunmen attacked an IDF encampment near the Netzarim Corridor, where Oren was killed.

The soldiers fought back, killing three of the gunmen, while the fourth fled. The soldiers then called in an Israeli Air Force airstrike, killing the fourth gunman.

On Sunday morning, the IDF announced the death of First Sgt. Amit Tsadikov, from the Paratroopers Brigade in southern Gaza. Tsadikov was killed during a firefight with Hamas fighters.

According to the IDF, 337 active duty and reserve soldiers have died since the start of the ground campaign in Gaza.