The IDF opened an initial investigation today (Tuesday) on the explosion in el Bureij, which killed six IDF soldiers.
According to initial findings, the explosion occurred at the end of a combat activity to destroy a section of tunnels, after most engineering and security corps had exited the tunnels.
A tank that was nearby identified an enemy and improved its position to fire without endangering IDF forces. The soldiers in the tank fired and the detonation system was activated and exploded.
The explosion occurred half an hour before the planned time for destroying the tunnel.
Initial findings show that the detonation system was activated by the firing of the shell that hit an electricity pole and set off the explosion, causing more than three tons of explosives to go up in flames.
The six soldiers killed in the difficult incident are: Amit Shahar, 25, from Ramat Yohanan, who fought in the Yahalom combat engineering unit, and was killed in central Gaza; Denis Krokhmalov Veksler, 32, from Be’er Sheva, who fought in the Yahalom combat engineering unit, and was killed in central Gaza; Ron Efrimi, 26, from Hod Hasharon, who fought in the Yahalom combat engineering unit, and was killed in central Gaza; Roi Avraham Maimon 24, from Afula, who fought in the Yahalom combat engineering unit, and was killed in central Gaza. He also served as a paramedic; Akiva Yasinskiy, 35, from Ramat Gan, who fought in the 8173rd battalion of the Combat Engineering Corps, and was killed in central Gaza; and Sergeant first class (res.) Gavriel Bloom, 27, from Beit Shemesh, who fell in battle in the central Gaza Strip. All soldiers served in the Yahalom unit, other than Akiva, who served in the Etzioni Brigade of the 8173 engineering corps.