Two Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza by drone they were operating

Two Israeli soldiers, Nadav Kali, 24, and Ofek Moalem, 23, were killed in Gaza on Thursday by a drone they were operating, according to Israel's military. The reservists were stationed in the north of the strip when their first-person-view drone crashed inside their military post and subsequently exploded after they investigated.

In response to the fatalities, Israel's military has temporarily grounded small drone units equipped with explosives and initiated an investigation led by a brigadier general. Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, Israel has lost 479 troops in military operations, while over 73,400 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 1,330 since the supposed ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in October 2023.

Despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued to carry out frequent strikes in the strip, which it refers to as a military buffer zone. Israeli journalist Amir Tibon criticized the military following the announcement of the soldiers' deaths, pointing to a similar incident two months ago where a worker discovered a crashed military drone in a field.

The Israeli government has consistently advocated for forced displacement of civilians, destruction of militants, and potential Israeli resettlement in Gaza, with representatives from various political factions paying tribute to the two soldiers.