IDF Sgt. Yair Eliyahu (19) Killed in Army Accident in the Northern Gaza Strip
The IDF Spokesperson announced this morning that Sergeant Yair Eliyahu, from Ezer, a combat engineer in the Northern Brigade, fell in battle in northern Gaza. He was 19 at the time of his death.
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It has been cleared for publication that Sergeant Yair Eliyahu, 19, from Ezer, a combat engineer in the Northern Brigade, fell this morning in northern Gaza.
A preliminary investigation in the field indicates that Eliyahu died in an operational accident. Initial details of the tragic incident reveal that two engineering vehicles, a backhoe and a D-9, collided with each other during operational activity.
The IDF announced that Eliyahu, z"l, was posthumously promoted from the rank of Corporal (Rav-Turai) to Sergeant (Samal).
Eliyahu, z"l, is the 882nd soldier to fall in the "Iron Swords" war.
Since the onset of the ground operation in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, 72 of the 440 fallen IDF soldiers (approximately 16%) died in operational accidents, according to data released by Galatz military correspondent Doron Kadosh.
Since the resumption of hostilities under Operations “Strength and Sword” and “Gideon’s Chariots,” 2 of the 32 soldiers killed in the Strip (about 6%) died in operational accidents.
The breakdown of the 72 operational accident fatalities includes:
- 31 from friendly fire incidents
- 23 from weapons and ammunition mishaps
- 7 from being struck by armored vehicles or airstrikes
- 6 from shooting deviations