Two Israeli soldiers were killed in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday afternoon when an Israeli military drone that had crashed near an army outpost exploded as they approached it, the Israeli military said.
An Israeli officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the drone came down during an operation without detonating on impact. The two soldiers “approached the drone, which exploded shortly afterwards,” the officer said. Both were taken to hospital, where they were pronounced dead. The military identified them as Nadav Kali, 24, and Ofek Moalem, 23.
Their deaths bring the number of Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza since the war began on 7 October 2023 to 970, seven of them since the ceasefire took effect in October 2025. Nearly 74,000 people have been killed in Israel’s military operations in Gaza, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry.
Source: CNA
