Released for publication: One soldier killed and 5 wounded in Hamas ambush

In a heartbreaking development from northern Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed that an Israeli soldier was killed and five others were wounded—three of them critically—during a Hamas ambush earlier today. The fallen soldier has been identified as Warrant Officer G’haleb Sliman Alnasasra, 35, a tracker from the Bedouin city of Rahat. He served in the Northern Brigade of the IDF’s Gaza Division and is the first soldier to die in Gaza since the military renewed its offensive on March 18.

The attack took place during an operation conducted by the 252nd Division near the city of Beit Hanoun. The mission aimed to locate and destroy Hamas infrastructure situated near the border, in order to widen Israel’s buffer zone and improve security for IDF forces and Israeli civilians living near Gaza.

At approximately 12:58 p.m., Hamas operatives emerged from a tunnel and fired a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) at an IDF vehicle traveling on a designated military supply route. Among those wounded in the initial explosion were three female soldiers from the 414th Combat Intelligence Collection Unit. Two of the three—an officer and a medic—are reported to be in serious condition.

Following the ambush, rescue forces quickly mobilized. The rescue team, led by Northern Brigade Commander Colonel Omri Mashiah and accompanied by additional trackers, arrived at the scene to evacuate the wounded. However, at 1:25 p.m., Hamas operatives detonated a roadside bomb near the rescue group. The explosion killed Warrant Officer Alnasasra and seriously injured another tracker.

In response to the attack, the IDF launched airstrikes in the area, targeting the Hamas operatives responsible for the ambush. Military activity in the region remains ongoing, as the IDF continues its efforts to neutralize threats and secure the operational zone.

The IDF released the name of the fallen soldier to the public after notifying his family. The official statement reads: “Warrant Officer G’haleb Sliman Alnasasra, age 35, from Rahat, a tracker in the Northern Brigade of the Gaza Division, was killed in combat in northern Gaza.”

This tragic loss highlights the continued risks Israeli soldiers face as ground operations persist in the Gaza Strip, and marks a somber moment in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.