Meanwhile, St.-Sgt. Noam Douek died in Gaza, the IDF announced on Thursday, with it emerging that he may have been killed by gas from a faulty IDF generator, and not in battle.
In the same incident where Douek was killed, two soldiers from the same battalion were seriously harmed, likely from the same gas incident in which an IDF technician may have failed to properly operate or test the generator.
The incident is currently under military police investigation.
Douek was aged 19 from Kiryat Motzkin and served in the 9th Battalion in the Armored Corps.
Mourning St.-Sgt. Noam Douek
Tziki Tzvi Avisar, Mayor of Kiryat Motzkin, said, "With deep sorrow, I inform you of the untimely death of our city's son, Noam Duak. Noam, almost 20 years old, a regular soldier in the armored corps, fell this morning during operational activity in the Gaza Strip.
"A military police investigation has been opened following suspicions of toxic gas inhalation. I share in the profound grief of the family. I offer my support to his parents, Osnat and Sheli, his brothers Dor and Raz, his partner Amit Schwartz, his friends, and those who knew him. The Municipality of Kiryat Motzkin will stand by the family and support them in their difficult time," he concluded.
According to the IDF's tally, the death of St.-Sgt. Douek raises the total of soldiers killed on or since October 7 of last year to 687.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.