New information has emerged from the ongoing investigation into the deadly incident in Khan Yunis, where one officer and six soldiers from the 605th Combat Engineering Battalion, part of the 188th Brigade, lost their lives. Military correspondent Doron Kadosh reported Wednesday evening on preliminary findings, which indicate that the blast was caused not by an explosive affixed to the Puma armored personnel carrier (APC), but by one hurled into it by a terrorist.
The tragic event unfolded during an assault carried out by the 188th Brigade in Khan Yunis. A fighter jet was dispatched to strike a target situated in close proximity to the unit. Just before the airstrike, another group from the same battalion had come under attack from an explosive device and rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) fire, resulting in two injuries—one soldier in serious condition and another with light wounds.
Military safety regulations dictate that when an airstrike is about to occur near ground forces, the soldiers must seek shelter in armored vehicles to protect themselves from flying debris and shrapnel caused by the bombing. In line with this protocol, seven soldiers entered the Puma APC briefly to shield themselves ahead of the planned airstrike.
The inquiry found that during the time the soldiers were inside the APC, a terrorist rapidly closed in, managed to climb onto the vehicle in mere seconds, and tossed an explosive directly into the carrier from above. The report states that the soldiers were struck within moments of the blast, with the explosion inflicting immediate and devastating damage.
The investigation further confirmed that there were no additional explosives or demolition materials from the engineering unit stored inside the APC—only the standard ammunition carried by the soldiers themselves.
{Matzav.com Israel}
