Five Israeli soldiers were killed and 14 others wounded on Monday night by an improvised explosive device (IED) during operations in the Beit Hanoun area of the northern Gaza Strip, the military confirmed Tuesday morning.

The fallen soldiers were identified as:

• Sgt. Moshe Nissim Frech, 20, from Jerusalem

• Staff-Sgt. Meir Shimon Amar, 20, from Jerusalem

• Staff-Sgt. Noam Aharon Musgadian, 20, from Jerusalem

• Sgt. 1st Class (res.) Benyamin Asulin, 20, from Haifa

• Staff-Sgt. Moshe Shmuel Noll, 21, from Beit Shemesh

Four of the fallen served in the ultra-Orthodox Netzah Yehuda Battalion, while Sgt. Asulin was part of the Gaza Division’s Northern Brigade.

According to reports, the soldiers were conducting a ground maneuver in Beit Hanoun—an area that has repeatedly been cleared by the IDF throughout the war but has seen a resurgence of terrorist activity. Around 10 p.m. on Monday, troops from Netzah Yehuda were ambushed on foot, and a powerful explosive was detonated beneath them.

While attempting to evacuate the wounded, the unit came under further fire from terrorists. It remains unclear when the explosive charge was placed. The Israeli Air Force had reportedly struck the area in advance of the ground operation.

Two of the wounded are in serious condition.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mourned the fallen, stating: “The entire nation of Israel bows its head… Their sacrifice and heroism will be forever etched in our hearts.”

President Isaac Herzog echoed the grief, calling the deaths of the “five heroic sons” heartbreaking. He praised the IDF’s “unimaginable human resilience” and urged all necessary steps be taken to protect soldiers on the battlefield.

The IDF has lost 444 soldiers in Gaza, and 888 across all fronts since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre.

The IDF continues its campaign, “Gideon’s Chariots,” aimed at dismantling Hamas, securing Gaza, and bringing home the remaining 50 hostages.

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