Four IDF Tank Crew Members Killed in Gaza Ambush - Names Released For Publication
Four IDF soldiers from the Armored Corps were killed in an ambush in northern Gaza after terrorists reportedly approached their tank undetected and detonated an explosive device inside the vehicle.
Four IDF tank crew members were killed in a deadly ambush in the Gaza Strip. The IDF released the names of three of the fallen soldiers: Sergeant Uri Lamed, 20, from Tel Mond; Sergeant Gadi Cotal, 20, from Kibbutz Afikim; and Sergeant Amit Arye Regev, 19, from Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut. The name of the fourth soldier is being withheld pending family notification. All four were tank crew members from the 52nd Battalion of the 401st Armored Brigade.
According to a preliminary investigation, the incident occurred around 6:00 a.m. when a squad of three Hamas terrorists approached a tank positioned outside a military encampment in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood. The terrorists managed to throw an explosive device into the tank, and the resulting blast killed all four soldiers inside. The IDF confirmed that the crew was not sleeping but was active and conducting searches at the time. A short time later, additional gunfire erupted between the terrorists and other IDF forces.
During the exchange, a soldier from the Nahal Brigade's infantry was moderately wounded in the leg, and at least one of the terrorists was eliminated. The military is investigating whether the terrorists used a nearby tunnel to approach the encampment. Despite the attack, the military stated there was no breach of the encampment itself, and forces continued to operate in the area to destroy additional terror infrastructure.
The incident highlights a recent shift in Hamas tactics, which has seen an increase in guerrilla attacks on IDF encampments in an attempt to catch tired and unsuspecting soldiers off guard. The IDF noted that these attacks occur on average about once a week but are usually repelled without casualties.
Following the tragic event, a number of Israeli officials responded. Defense Minister Israel Katz posted a message on X stating that a "massive hurricane" would hit Gaza City and that Hamas leaders should release the hostages and lay down their arms or be destroyed. The Jordan Valley Regional Council also released a statement mourning the loss of Sergeant Cotal, a graduate of its local high school, and expressed its support for his family.