KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza  - Seven Israeli soldiers were killed in a large explosion in southern Gaza's Khan Younis area on Tuesday night, marking one of the deadliest single incidents for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in recent months.

It is understand an explosive device was attached to a decades-old armored personnel carrier (APC) operated by the Combat Engineering Corps in southern Gaza.

The incident occurred at approximately 6:30 p.m. Tuesdat evening near Khan Younis, where soldiers from the 605th Battalion of the Combat Engineering Corps were conducting operations in a "Puma" APC. Initial reports indicate the blast ignited a fire that could not be immediately contained.

Key Details of the Attack

• A preliminary IDF investigation revealed that a militant managed to plant an explosive device on the APC, though the exact method remains under review.

• Firefighting teams and soldiers rushed to extinguish the flames, while a D9 bulldozer was deployed to cover the wreckage with sand and pull the vehicle back into Israeli territory for forensic analysis.

• The 605th Battalion was operating with the Puma APC, a model dating back decades, despite the Combat Engineering Corps' primary armored vehicle—the heavily fortified "Namer"—being standard issue for parallel battalions in Gaza. The IDF has not yet clarified why the older Puma was in use.

Fallen Soldiers and Response

The IDF confirmed the identities of 6 of the seven soldiers, as Lieutenant Matan Shai Yashinovski, (21), Sergeant Ronel Ben-Moshe (20), Sergeant Niv Radia (20), Sergeant Ronen Shapiro (19), Sergeant Shahar Manoav (21), and Sergeant Maayan Baruch Perlstein (20), all with the 605th Combat Engineering Battalion.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant issued statements mourning the dead as "heroes who fell in the battle for Israel's security."

Hamas' al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility, calling the attack a "complex ambush" and releasing footage purportedly showing the explosive device being detonated.

Questions Over Outdated Equipment

Military analysts noted the Puma APC's vulnerability compared to the Namer, which features advanced armor and anti-explosive systems. The incident has sparked internal scrutiny over why the 605th Battalion was deployed with the older vehicle in what they describe as a high-risk combat zone.

The IDF said a full inquiry is underway, including an assessment of operational protocols for engineering units in Gaza.

Tuesday night's explosion is the second in Khan Younis to claim Israeli lives in just over two weeks, following an explosion in a building on 6 June 2025 which killed four IDF soldiers.