Capt. Wassem Mahmoud, 23, from Beit Jann, and seven other IDF soldiers were killed in an explosion of an armored vehicle in Rafah, the IDF announced on Saturday.
Mahmoud was a deputy company commander in Battalion 601 of the Combat Engineers Brigade.
Mahmoud’s uncle, Sharif Ghanem, said his nephew returned to fight in the Gaza Strip after being injured at the start of the war, YNet reported.
“A great tragedy has befallen us. Waseem was injured at the beginning of the war by shrapnel that penetrated his arm. He was supposed to undergo surgery, but he postponed it until the end of the war. Waseem was a determined and brave fighter, everyone loved him,” he said.
Sharif shared that, “Waseem was supposed to start his studies in March, but he postponed them because his main focus was the army and his unit, and ensuring the security of the country. His mother is completely devastated, he was the beating heart of her life. Everyone is mourning today for the son and nephew we have lost.”
The explosion occurred in the Tal as-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah.
IDF investigates explosion
The IDF is investigating whether the armored vehicle was damaged by an explosive device under the vehicle or by an explosive device attached to the side of the vehicle.
Another possibility that is being examined is that a malfunction in the explosives the vehicle was carrying caused the explosion.
A preliminary investigation revealed that the incident occurred around five in the morning. IDF soldiers from the 401st Brigade had just completed an attack in Tal as-Sultan.
The soldiers from the attacking brigades included the 932nd Battalion and the 424th Battalion. A company from the 601st Combat Engineering Battalion joined these battalions.
While driving through a luxurious area of the neighborhood, a massive explosion was heard, which caused the armored vehicle to explode and catch fire.
The vehicle was severely damaged. All the occupants of the vehicle, eight combat engineering soldiers, were killed on the spot. The vehicle’s exterior sides contained large amounts of explosives, including demolition blocks, mines, and more.
The IDF stated that the explosives were located on the exterior sides of the vehicle so that if an explosion occured, these explosives were not supposed to harm the soldiers in the vehicle’s combat compartment.
Israeli politicians express condolences
Israel Katz commented on the incident in a statement published to X, formerly Twitter, and said, “A difficult Shabbat. 8 of our best sons were killed in Rafah. Knowing the price, they bravely entered Gaza to complete the mission of destroying Hamas and freeing the hostages. They knew they might have to sacrifice their lives, but they did it so we could live in this country. I salute them and hug their families.”
שבת קשה. 8 מטובי בנינו נהרגו ברפיח. כשהם יודעים את המחיר, הם נכנסו באומץ לב לעזה להשלים את המשימה להשמדת חמאס ושחרור החטופים. הם ידעו שיכול להיות שיאלצו להקריב את חייהם, אבל עשו זאת כדי שאנחנו נוכל לחיות בארץ הזו. אני מצדיע להם ומחבק את משפחותיהם
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) June 15, 2024
Opposition leader and Chairman of Yesh Atid Yair Lapid expressed his condolences on X.
הלב נשבר שוב ושוב. תנחומים וחיבוק חזק למשפחות הלוחמים שנהרגו היום ברפיח. ליבנו איתכם, בשעתכם הקשה. יהי זכרם של הלוחמים ברוך
— יאיר לפיד – Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) June 15, 2024
“The heart is broken again and again. Condolences and a big hug to the families of the fighters who were killed today in Rafah. Our hearts are with you in your difficult time. May the memory of the warriors be blessed,” Lapid said.
This is a developing story.
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