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IDF announces death of four soldiers killed in explosion in Rafah

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Tuesday the deaths of four soldiers killed on Monday in the southern Gaza Strip: Sergeant Almog Shalom, Sergeant Yair Levin, Staff Sergeant Eitan Karlsbrun and Major Tal Pshebilski Shaulov.

All four served in the Givati ​​Brigade’s reconnaissance unit. They were killed in an explosion in a booby-trapped building in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

Maj. Tal Pshebilski Shaulov, 24, came from Gedera.

Sergeant Eitan Karlsbrun, 20, was from Modiin.

Sergeant Almog Shalom, 19, was from Hamadia.

Sergeant Yair Levin, 19, came from Givat Harel. He was the grandson of former Likud MP Moshe Feiglin.

Shalom and Lewin were still in training. Shalov was their company commander.

According to an initial investigation by the Israeli Defense Forces, the soldiers threw an explosive device into a suspicious house in the Shaboura neighborhood of Rafah to trigger possible traps. They entered after an explosion did not occur immediately. When two soldiers entered the three-story building, it exploded and partially collapsed on the soldiers.

Seven other soldiers were injured in the same incident, five of whom suffered serious injuries, the Israeli army said.

Israeli forces later discovered a Hamas tunnel shaft inside the house, the military reported.