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  6.  » Three IDF soldiers killed by roadside bomb in north Gaza’s Jabalia

From left to right: Staff Sgt. Lior Steinberg, 20, a combat medic, from Petah Tikva; Staff Sgt. Ofek Barhana, 20, a combat medic, from Yavne; Staff Sgt. Omer Van Gelder, 22, a squad commander, from Maale Adumim. (Israel Defense Forces)

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The Times of Israel – June 3, 2025

Three Israeli soldiers were killed and two were wounded by a roadside bomb Monday during operations in the Jabalia area in the northern Gaza Strip, the military announced Tuesday morning.

The slain soldiers were named as Staff Sgt. Lior Steinberg, 20, a combat medic, from Petah Tikva; Staff Sgt. Ofek Barhana, 20, a combat medic, from Yavne; and Staff Sgt. Omer Van Gelder, 22, a squad commander, from Maale Adumim.

It was the most deadly loss for the Israel Defense Forces since it renewed combat operations in Gaza after a ceasefire collapsed in March.

The troops all served in the Givati Brigade’s Rotem Battalion. During the incident in Jabalia, they were operating as part of a platoon under the 9th Armored Battalion.

According to an initial IDF probe, the five troops were in a Humvee in Jabalia, escorting an army fire engine that had entered Gaza to extinguish an armored personnel carrier that caught fire due to a technical issue.

On the way out of Jabalia, the convoy was hit by an explosive device planted on the side of a road. It directly struck the Humvee, killing and wounding the soldiers.

The two wounded troops were listed in moderate condition.

Along the same route, the IDF later discovered some 20 more roadside bombs that had been rigged for detonation. It was unclear why the others did not explode.

Evacuation of the injured soldiers was complicated and prolonged, as the troops in the convoy realized they were in a booby-trapped area. The IDF also carried out numerous strikes in the area to enable the evacuation.

The military said it was investigating the incident further, including how terror operatives had identified the route used by the army, and when the bombs had been planted.

Continues … 

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Times of India – June 3, 2025