2 IDF soldiers killed by collapsing crane due to severe weather in Gaza

Two Israeli soldiers were killed and eight others were wounded in an accident in the Gaza Strip late last night, the IDF announced Thursday morning. 

Due to stormy weather in the eastern Mediterranean, a crane collapsed on a group of soldiers from the Golani Brigade earlier this morning. 

One of the soldiers killed in the accident was named as Sgt. First Class (res.) Nadav Cohen, 21, of the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion, from Beit Hanan. 

The IDF later released the name of the second soldier, Nachman Refael Ben Ami, 20, from Eilat, after his family had been contacted. 

Of the other eight wounded soldiers, one was listed in serious condition and has been evacuated to a hospital for treatment. 

According to the initial IDF probe, harsh winds during the stormy weather caused a crane to collapse, falling down on the soldiers. The crane was part of ongoing work to build security posts in the buffer zone between the Israeli communities of the Gaza Envelope and Gaza City. 

The Golani Brigade soldiers have remained in Gaza, despite the ceasefire, to help with security in the Gaza Strip, and to prevent the passage of weapons by Hamas into the northern Gaza Strip. 

According to reports in Hebrew media, the incident took place in the buffer zone between the Gaza Strip and Israeli territory, opposite Kfar Aza, in the northern Gaza Strip. Following the incident and due to continued stormy weather over the next few days, it was decided at this stage to remove all the cranes and lifting platforms in the sector. 

While the IDF has maintained a security presence in Gaza during the first phase of the hostage release ceasefire deal, the military has reported several incidents in the past few days in which soldiers fired upon suspects who approached them in a threatening manner. 

On Wednesday, the IDF reported that a group of soldiers in central Gaza fired distancing shots at suspects who were moving toward them in a threatening manner. While in southern Gaza, IDF troops identified a number of suspects moving near them, and posing an imminent threat to them, and fired warning shots to distance the suspects. When the suspects continued to advance despite the warning shots, the troops fired on the suspects to remove the threat. 

On Tuesday, several similar incidents were recorded, including one in which a vehicle attempted to move northward outside of the security inspection zone which all vehicles moving northward are required to pass through. An IAF aircraft fired a warning shot at the vehicle. 

Also on Tuesday, the Israeli Navy reported several vessels violating security restrictions in the maritime area of the Gaza Strip. After firing several warning shots at the vessels, the vessels returned to the shore. 

Additionally, two suspects in the central Gaza Strip approached IDF troops in a threatening manner. After firing distancing shots, the suspects continued to approach the soldiers, who fired on the suspects, hitting at least one. 

The IDF said it is “committed to fully implementing the conditions of the agreement for the return of the hostages. The IDF is prepared for any scenario and will continue to take any necessary actions to thwart any immediate threat to IDF soldiers.” 

The military called on Gaza residents to follow its instructions and avoid approaching troops deployed in the area.