IDF announces deaths of 3 soldiers killed in Gaza fighting; ground op toll climbs to 232

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

From left: Lt. Col. (res.) Netanel Yaacov Elkouby, 36, Sgt. First Class (res.) Ziv Chen, 27, Maj. (res.) Yair Cohen, 30. (Israel Defense Forces)
From left: Lt. Col. (res.) Netanel Yaacov Elkouby, 36, Sgt. First Class (res.) Ziv Chen, 27, Maj. (res.) Yair Cohen, 30. (Israel Defense Forces)

The IDF announces the deaths of three reservists, including a senior officer, killed during fighting in the southern Gaza Strip yesterday, bringing the toll of slain troops in the ground offensive against Hamas to 232.

They are:

Lt. Col. (res.) Netanel Yaacov Elkouby, 36, the commander of the Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade’s 630th Battalion, from Haifa.

Maj. (res.) Yair Cohen, 30, an acting company commander in the Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade’s 630th Battalion, from Ramat Gan.

Sgt. First Class (res.) Ziv Chen, 27, of the Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade’s 630th Battalion, from Kfar Saba.

Another two soldiers of the 630th Battalion were seriously wounded in the same battle, the IDF adds.

Most Popular