The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the deaths of seven soldiers in a blast in Gaza‘s Khan Younis area on June 24, 2025.
The soldiers, from the IDF’s 605th Combat Engineering Battalion, were killed when an explosive device hit their armored vehicle, igniting a fire that claimed their lives. Those killed were:
Lieutenant Matan Shai Yashinovski, 21
Staff Sergeant Alon Davidov, 21
Staff Sergeant Ronel Ben-Moshe, 20
Staff Sergeant Niv Radia,20
Sergeant Ronen Shapiro, 19
Sergeant Shahar Manoav, 21
Sergeant Maayan Baruch Pearlstein, 20
The incident has drawn widespread attention and criticism, with many questioning the rationale behind continued fighting in Gaza. The IDF has reported over 860 Israeli soldiers killed since the war began, including more than 400 during the fighting in Gaza.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has launched a significant military operation in Gaza City, resulting in intense clashes and multiple casualties.
According to reports, seven Israeli soldiers were wounded in an explosion targeting an armored vehicle in the Zeitoun neighborhood. The IDF has described Gaza City as a “dangerous combat zone” and has ended the daily humanitarian pauses meant to alleviate hunger in the area.
The situation in Gaza City is dire, with the city in the grip of famine due to an Israeli blockade that has severely restricted food and medical supplies.
The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spoljaric, has warned that a mass evacuation of Gaza City would be impossible to carry out safely and with dignity under the current conditions. “It is impossible that a mass evacuation of Gaza City could ever be done in a way that is safe and dignified under the current conditions,” Spoljaric said in a statement.
The Israeli military’s plans to occupy and take over Gaza City have drawn widespread criticism, with many countries expressing concern about the humanitarian implications.
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, stated that she is “not optimistic” about the EU taking measures against Israel due to internal divisions within the bloc. “I’m not very optimistic, and today we are definitely not going to adopt decisions… We are divided about this issue,” Kallas told journalists.
The situation on the ground is dire, with at least 62 Palestinians killed in the past 24 hours, according to Gaza’s health authorities.
The UN has reported that over 23,000 residents of Gaza City have already left their homes due to the renewed bombardment. The health ministry has also reported that 10 people have died as a result of starvation or malnutrition in the past 24 hours, including three children.
The international community has condemned Israel’s actions, with the Irish foreign minister, Simon Harris, stating that “if the EU does not act as a collective now and take sanctions against Israel, whenever will it. What more could it possibly take? Children are starving.”
The US decision to deny visas to Palestinian officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, has also sparked widespread criticism. Abbas was due to attend a conference where several countries, including Britain, France, Canada, and Australia, are expected to recognize a Palestinian state.
The conflict in Gaza has resulted in significant humanitarian suffering, with the UN reporting that the number of aid trucks entering Gaza is far below what is needed.
The Israeli official said that Israel would halt airdropped aid into Gaza City over the coming days and decrease the number of aid trucks that enter northern Gaza. The situation is likely to worsen, with the potential for further escalation and humanitarian crisis.