Staff Sergeant Omer Van Gelder, Staff Sergeant Ofek Barhana, and Staff Sergeant Lior Steinberg were killed on Monday afternoon in the Gaza Strip when their Hummer vehicle passed by an improvised explosive device. Two additional soldiers sustained moderate injuries in the incident.
The incident took place amid ongoing operations by the Givati Brigade's 9th Battalion in Jabalia, where troops are dismantling terrorist infrastructure both above and below ground, neutralizing threats, and broadening their tactical advance. During these operations, five soldiers from the 9th Battalion, under the Givati Brigade's command, were traveling through Jabalia in an armored vehicle when an explosive device struck.
