From the Liveblog of
Thursday, July 3, 2025
Armored vehicle hit by Hamas in deadly Gaza attack last week didn’t have working exit hatch or cameras, report finds
Stav Levaton is a military reporter for The Times of Israel
New details published by the Kan public broadcaster from the deadly armored vehicle attack in southern Gaza last week reveal that defects in an IDF armored personnel carrier allowed a Hamas operative to throw an explosive device into the vehicle, killing seven combat engineering soldiers in Khan Younis on June 24.
According to the report, the exit hatch of the Puma APC was broken and had been tied shut with a rope. The APC’s cameras were not functional and hadn’t been for an extended period.
Soldiers said commanders were aware of the issues.
The incident sparked criticism from families of soldiers in the 605th Combat Engineering Battalion, who accused the army of negligence and demanded updated equipment in a letter to the battalion commander.
The incident was “unnecessary and preventable,” they said.
Parents noted that other battalions have more advanced vehicles, such as the Namer, while the 605th continues to rely on outdated Pumas.
The IDF and Shin Bet announced yesterday that two Hamas operatives involved in the deadly attack had been killed in a drone strike.
The Times of Israel Community.