IDF Confirms Four Soldier Deaths in Booby-Trapped Gaza Building Collapse

Four Israeli soldiers from the Yahalom combat engineering unit were killed in a booby-trapped building explosion in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, as they attempted to clear the structure of terror infrastructure including tunnels. The soldiers identified as Sgt. First Class Tom Rotstein, 23, from Ramat Gan, Staff Sgt. Uri Yhonatan Cohen, 20, from Neve Yarak, Sgt. Maj. (res.) Chen Gross, and Staff Sgt. Yoav Raver, died when the building collapsed following a bomb detonation. Five other soldiers were injured in the incident, including one seriously. The attack was claimed by Hamas. Israeli officials, including IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, stated that entering such buildings is sometimes necessary despite the risks, and an investigation into the incident is underway. The deaths were publicly mourned by family, friends, and local officials who emphasized the soldiers' sacrifice for Israeli security.