Two Israeli Soldiers Killed in Booby-Trapped Tunnel Blast in Rafah

Watan-The Israeli army announced on Sunday the death of two soldiers and the injury of two others following the explosion of a booby-trapped tunnel in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip.

According to a preliminary investigation by the army, the soldiers—members of the Golani Brigade—were inspecting the entrance of a tunnel inside a building when they were suddenly hit by the explosion, The Times of Israel reported.

One of the injured soldiers is in critical condition, while the other sustained moderate injuries.

While Israeli forces claim to be targeting militant infrastructure such as tunnels, the war in Gaza has been marked by widespread allegations of war crimes by Israeli soldiers, including:

• Deliberate destruction of civilian homes and infrastructure.

• Targeting hospitals, schools, and refugee camps, often under the pretext of Hamas presence.

• Execution-style killings, particularly in areas like al-Shifa Hospital and northern Gaza neighborhoods.

• Use of white phosphorus and heavy airstrikes in densely populated zones, resulting in thousands of civilian deaths.

• Mass detention and abuse of Palestinian civilians, including minors, under degrading and violent conditions.

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have documented repeated violations of international humanitarian law by Israeli forces during their operations. Gaza’s Ministry of Health reports over 34,000 Palestinian deaths, most of whom are women and children, since October 2023.

This latest explosion highlights the escalating cost of ground operations for Israeli troops, while further fueling criticism of the war’s humanitarian toll and the tactics employed by the Israeli army.