Two Israeli reservists have been killed in a serious incident in the northern Gaza Strip. As the Israeli army announced on Friday morning, they are Nadav Kali, 24, from Har Halutz in Galilee, and Ofek Moalem, 23, from Jerusalem. Both served as fighters in the 7007th Battalion of the 16th Brigade.
The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon at an Israeli military post in the northern Gaza Strip near Beit Hanun. According to initial findings, the soldiers were engaged in an operation involving explosive drones. The first drone completed its mission without incident. However, a second drone crashed shortly after launch within the Israeli post.
We mourn the loss of two IDF soldiers from the 7007th Battalion, 16th Brigade, who fell in combat in Gaza:
🕯️ Master Sergeant (Res.) Nadav Kali, 24, from Har Halutz.
🕯️ Master Sergeant (Res.) Ofek Moalem, 23, from Jerusalem.
Our hearts are with their families and loved ones.… pic.twitter.com/N5UiKrlTv7
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) September 25, 2026
Kali and Moalem approached the crashed drone. According to initial findings, they picked up the aircraft, whereupon it exploded. Both soldiers sustained life-threatening injuries, were initially treated on-site and subsequently transferred to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon. There, they succumbed to their injuries. No other soldiers were injured in the incident, according to the army.
Why the drone crashed and why the explosive device only detonated after the two soldiers had approached the aircraft remains unclear. The army is investigating several possibilities, including a technical malfunction and possible disruptions to the drone’s communication link. The question of whether enemy interference with the radio signal may have played a role is also being examined. However, based on the army’s current assessment, Hamas does not possess the capabilities that would be considered a likely cause of the incident.
Israeli media report that the aircraft involved is believed to have been an explosive drone of the “Atalef” type — Hebrew for “bat.” The army has not yet officially confirmed this specific drone type. According to Walla, it is a regularly deployed military system whose use in the operation had been approved by the responsible commanders.
As an immediate consequence of the accident, the army ordered the suspension of the use of small drones carrying explosive charges for the time being. This affects both attack drones and aircraft capable of dropping explosive devices over a target. The measure is to remain in effect until the first results of the investigation are available.
Defense Minister Israel Katz expressed his condolences to the families of the two fallen reservists. Just before the Sukkot holiday, two families had received the worst possible news, Katz stated. On behalf of the entire Israeli security establishment, he conveyed his heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved and concluded with the words: “May the memory of Nadav and Ofek be blessed.”
According to the Israeli army, a total of 970 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the war began on October 7, 2023.
