An Israel Defense Forces soldier was killed on Tuesday during combat operations in the southern Gaza Strip, the military announced.

Staff Sgt. Danilo Mocanu, 20, of the 7th Armored Brigade’s 82nd Battalion, from Holon, died when a building collapsed following the detonation of an explosive device in Khan Yunis. Another soldier was lightly wounded in the incident, according to the IDF.

An initial investigation determined that there had been no prior indications that the structure posed a threat, despite routine safety checks. Both canine units and drones had scanned the building before the blast occurred, the probe found.

The fatality brings the total number of soldiers killed since the outbreak of war on Oct. 7, 2023, to 858.

On Monday, another soldier, Sgt. Yosef Yehuda Chirak, 22, of the Combat Engineering Corps’ 601st Battalion, was killed in northern Gaza. A preliminary IDF probe revealed that Chirak died in a friendly-fire incident during a tunnel inspection near the 401st Armored Brigade.

The IDF stated that Chirak was standing near a tunnel shaft when he was inadvertently struck by fire from another unit securing the perimeter. His family has been informed of the findings.

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