Israel-Hamas War: What happened on Day 109?

The IDF announced the death of 21 reservists fighting in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday.

Hamas forces fired a rocket-propelled grenade on multiple adjacent structures, along with landmines that the IDF forces had collected and brought into the buildings, which caused a total collapse that killed 19 soldiers and injured several others on Monday.

The incident occurred around 4:00 p.m. in al-Muasi in central Gaza.

In addition, a separate rocket-propelled grenade was fired on an IDF tank which killed two IDF soldiers and injured two others.

Details of the massive explosion are being investigated

It was unclear if the soldiers had violated procedures by bringing the landmines into the structures with them and also unclear how much the collapse of the building was caused by the RPG versus the secondary landmines explosions.

Palestinians at the site of an Israeli air strike in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on December 17, 2023. (credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)

The IDF forces who were harmed were mostly reservists assigned to clear certain areas of dangerous items, such as mines.

Rescue activities went on for hours with the brigade commander having been on site from the start of the incident.

It was unclear what happened to the Hamas attackers.

Names of the soldiers killed

The IDF released the names of 10 soldiers of the 21 that were killed.

Maj.-Gen. (res.) Matan Lazar, 32, from Haifa, a soldier from the IDF's 6261 Battalion, 261's Brigade.

Maj.-Gen. (res.) Hadar Kapeluk, 23, from Moshav Mevo Beitar, and was a Class Commander in the IDF's 8208 Battalion, 261st Brigade.

Sgt.-Maj. (res.) Sergey Gontmaher, 37, from Ramat Gan, who was a soldier in the IDF's 8208 Battalion, 261st Brigade.

Maj. (res.) Elkana Yehuda Sfez, 25, from Kiryat Arba, was a soldier in the 8208 Battalion, 261st Brigade.

St.-Sgt. (res.) Yoval Lopez, 27, from the settlement Alon Shvut in the West Bank, a soldier in the 9206 Battalion, 205th Brigade.

Maj. (res.) Yoav Levi, 29, from the city Yehud-Monoson in central Israel, who was a soldier in Battalion 8208, 261st Brigade.

Maj. (res.) Nicholas Berger, 22, from Jerusalem, who was a soldier in the 8208 Battalion, 261st Brigade.

Maj. (res.) Cydrick Garin, 23, from Tel Aviv-Yafo, who was a soldier in the 8208 Battalion, 261st Brigade.

St.-Sgt. (res.) Rafael Elias Mosheyoff, 33, from the town Pardes Hanna-Karkur near Haifa, was a soldier in the 6261 Battalion, 261st Brigade.

St.-Sgt. (res.) Barak Haim Ben Valid, 33, from Rishon Lezion, class commander in Battalion 6261, Brigade 261.

Names of additional dead soldiers are expected to be announced once the IDF has been able to fully verify their identities and contact their relevant families.

Israeli officials' comments

Israeli President Isaac Herzog wrote that "behind every name whose world has fallen apart - a family that we take to our hearts with sorrow and pain, and at the same time with pride - for the heroism of the generation."

Defense Minister Gallant stated, "On this difficult and painful morning, the enemy's message reaches many homes in Israel; our hearts are with the dear families in their most difficult time. This is a war that will determine the future of Israel for decades to come - the fall of the fighters is a requirement to achieve the goals of the war.

"I send my condolences from the bottom of my heart to the families of the victims of the campaign and best wishes for a speedy recovery to the wounded."

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich described the incident as "heartbreaking news. Condolences from the bottom of my heart to the families of the heroes, the entire nation of Israel embraces you with a broken and aching heart. Our commitment is to ensure that the fall of our soldiers will not be in vain."

Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana said, "It's a difficult morning for the people of Israel to wake up to this heartbreaking news. On behalf of the Knesset, I would like to send my heartfelt condolences to the families of the fallen. Each of them is a world full of families, hopes, and dreams that were cut short prematurely. We all wish and pray for a speedy recovery of the wounded."

Yesh Atid Leader Yair Lapid said that he "sends a hug to the families of the soldiers. The entire nation of Israel is with you in your difficult time. May their memory be a blessing."

Agriculture Minister and security cabinet member Avi Dichter said, "Most of the soldiers were reservists, who left entire families without a father and an entire country shocked and in pain."

Rockets launched from Lebanon on Tuesday caused minor damage to an IAF base infrastructure, the IDF spokesperson reported. 

No injuries were reported, and the details of the incident are being investigated.

Ahmad Abu Latif, 26 from Rahat and a dedicated reserve fighter in the 8208th Battalion, 261st Division, was among the soldiers killed on Monday in the incident in the center of the Gaza Strip, in which 21 soldiers died in total.

Ahmad Abu Latif, known among many students at Ben-Gurion University where he served as security staff, leaves behind a grieving family, including a wife, an 11-month-old daughter, his parents, and 11 siblings. Posthumously promoted from the rank of Staff-Sergeant-Major (Res.) to  Warrant Officer (Res.) by the IDF, Abu Latif's death is deeply mourned.

Ahmad deeply believed in coexistence 

Abu Latif wrote extensively about his feelings on coexistence and collaboration between Israel’s various populations in a poignant social media post in October, during the early days of the ongoing conflict. While his post was initially intended to assure university students of their safety and inspire their cooperation with one another, its words hold new weight with Abu Latif’s passing.

"For me, the people I live and work with are my brothers and sisters, and we all live together and respect each other in our land. I am proud to be a Bedouin who served in the IDF… I had the privilege to defend and protect in a meaningful service that I will never forget,” he wrote. “I'm happy when I can travel in Israel with my friends and I'm happiest when they learn Arabic, try to speak with me in Arabic, and ask me to help them.”

“Since the outbreak of the war, we’ve heard a lot about the [positive] involvement of Arab civilians. Unfortunately among the casualties of war are Bedouin and Druze soldiers, Muslims and Christians, who fell as heroes during the defense of the country,” he continued.

“The Bedouin community mourns the civilian victims who were murdered for no injustice - Jews, Christians, or Muslims. And I want to take this opportunity to inspire everyone who reads this! We all share the same destiny and we must be together and united,” he wrote. “Unfortunately, there are people who do not believe in cooperation between sectors; [they] try to threaten, provoke, and destroy relationships — to undermine trust. Do not believe them, and do not let this happen.”

In the closing words of his post, Abu Latif emphasized the critical value of unity and mutual respect among Israel’s diverse populations and cultures.

“Every day at the university, I see students helping each other in good deeds and in times of trouble, always seeing the person on the other side,” he wrote. “We must preserve this security and unity!”

Cydrick Garin, one of the soldiers who was killed in Gaza on January 22, struggled as a young man and as the son of immigrants from the Philippines. He received an award from Southern Command in 2021 for his outstanding role as a soldier in Givati.

When he fell in Gaza on Monday, he was a Sergeant in the 261st brigade. He was a combat soldier in the 8208th battalion of the brigade and fell along with 21 soldiers killed in a tragic attack that caused a building collapse. Most of the soldiers were from two battalions in the same brigade.

His mother, Imelda Garin, wrote on Facebook after learning of his death. “How can I cope with everything now that you're gone... I'm gonna miss you so much... I love you, my child... I won't forget you..”

Garin lived in Tel Aviv. He was 23 years old. His Facebook page, which has now been locked, says that he is from San Mateo, northeast of the capital of Manila in the Philippines, although he spent most of his life in Israel. According to Walla, he studied at the Bialik Ragozin school in south Tel Aviv, and there is now a temporary memorial at the school.

Garin sought to enlist in the IDF

He sought to enlist in the IDF and joined the Givati Brigade. He received recognition from Southern Command as an outstanding soldier in the unit in April 2021. According to a post on Facebook commemorating the award and the ceremony, one person wrote a congratulatory note describing the pride that it brought to the Filipino community in Israel. A video of the ceremony in which Garin received the award and was called on stage was also posted to social media, in which he is described as a member of the Shaked battalion of Givati.

In April 2021, when he received the award, the IDF profiled him and his journey to the army. “If you had told Sergeant Cedric five years ago that he was going to be a fighter in Givati and receive an honor from the commander of Southern Command, there is no way he would have believed you,” the article notes. It describes a young man who supported his mother.

"It wasn't easy for a mother to raise a child alone in a country she barely knows," Garin told the IDF in their article about him in 2021. "To this day, it is difficult for her to speak Hebrew. She would work as a cleaner, leave early in the morning, and return late in the evening, and I would not meet her. Most of the time, I was alone.” He also took various jobs to support his family, and he had run-ins with law enforcement. In Givati, he excelled and attended a course for senior Sergeants in the unit. He was chosen for having the highest qualities in a unit of hundreds of men.

Several articles in various Israeli media describe Garin’s journey to the army as one that involved multiple hardships and struggles. These included the run-ins with law enforcement at a younger age. His achievements when he made it to Givati and received recognition for his outstanding leadership illustrated his transition and success as a soldier.

The Post reached out to his mother and friends as well as members of the Filipino community; however, as of press time, we had not heard back.

Sgt. First Class (res.) Hadar Kapeluk, 23, a squad commander in the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Mevo Beitar was among the 21 soldiers killed in the deadly blast in Gaza this morning.

Kapeluk was the son of Ronen and Sarah (Biton) Kapeluk.

A graduate of Boyer High School in Jerusalem, he was described as the “salt of the earth” by a former neighbor and friend of Kapeluk’s mother, Sarah, in the Ir Ganim neighborhood where the family lived previously.

“What can you say about a boy who was a member of the scouts and was always with his grandmother?” said the neighbor, who asked that her name not be used. “He was a wonderful boy, who liked to help, who came from a wonderful family. Sarah was always helping and volunteering with the family.” 

Kapeluk had been fighting almost non-stop in Gaza since he was drafted into the reserves on Oct. 7.

In a statement, Boyer High School called Kapeluk a “real man, a sharp mind, a true friend, a loving and supportive brother, and son.”

“Hadar loved life and made big plans for the future. In his short life, he had many experiences,” the school said in the statement, noting that Kapeluk was a classmate of the late Roi Nahari, who fell on Oct. 7, and a classmate of the late Amit David, who was murdered at the Nova festival. “The entire Boyar community is in mourning. May his memory be blessed."

Kapeluk served as one of the security personnel at the Israeli embassy in India and in a Facebook post the embassy called his death a “personal loss” for everybody at the embassy.

“Hadar had a deep love for traveling, and exploring the world and held a special affection for India,” the embassy wrote.

Kapeluk was buried at Mt. Herzl military cemetery. 

Master Sgt. (res.) Yoav Levi, 29, from Yehud-Monoson in central Israel, was one of the soldiers killed by Hamas in a rocket-propelled grenade attack on multiple adjacent structures on Monday.

Levi, a combat soldier in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261, "gave his soul to the country," according to a statement made by his family.

"Yoav, in your humble way, in your characteristic silence and with a captivating smile, you were loved and will be loved by all of us," they said. 

A staunch enthusiast

"A staunch travel enthusiast, the love of the homeland flowed in your blood." 

They concluded, "We miss you dearly. We're broken by this unbearable pain."

"I was so scared of this moment," wrote Megi Besso Kantsler, Levi's cousin, in a heartwrenching Facebook post. 

"Yoavi, my dear cousin, I can't believe it's you," she said. "I can't believe that 'May his memory be blessed' is written beside your name.

"We grew up together, I smacked you around on all of our trips, and now you will forever remain 29 years old," she concluded.

Major David Nati Alfasi of the IDF paratroopers’ brigade from Beersheba fell in battle in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday. Alfasi was killed by an anti-tank missile strike on a house in Khan Yunis.

He was born in Beersheba 27 years ago and grew up in Migdal Ha’emek.

He was married to his wife, Shahar, and the father of Yosef, a one-year-old baby boy.

Alfasi's military experience

He held the position of Sergeant Major in the 202nd Battalion of the Parachute Brigade. Alfasi enlisted in the IDF 2019 and was a trainee in the Betar movement.

He studied at the military boarding school for command and staff and at the Reali School in Haifa. He moved to Beersheba after he fell in love with Shahar three and a half years ago and married her.

His funeral will be held on Tuesday in Migdal Ha’emek.

Alfasi’s uncle, Shuki Peretz, wrote: “My dear nephew, thank you for 27 years of infinite pride. I had the privilege of accompanying you every step of the way; you excelled in everything. You made me the proudest uncle in the world. I promise that you won’t be forgotten. This will be my life's mission. I will love you forever.”

Warr. Ofc. (res.) Mark Kononovich, 35, from Herzliya, was killed on Monday night in a Hamas attack during which a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at multiple adjacent structures.

Kononovich was a combat soldier in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261, when he was killed. 

He leaves behind a wife, Orel, and four children.

Kononovich's friends and family

"Not many people can be called friend," Micha Belsky, a close friend of Kononovich, wrote on social media. "You are a friend, brother. 

"You knew you were a friend... Nastya and I love you. We will support Orel and the children as much as possible."

Kononovich's parents live in northern Israel, in Carmiel, and are receiving support from the municipality's Welfare Administration at this time.

Captain (res.) Ariel Mordechay Wollfstal, 28, from Elazar, a combat officer in Battalion 9206, Brigade 205, fell in battle in Gaza on Monday.

Wollfstal was among 21 reservists who fell in one of the fiercest battles since the war started. The incident occurred around 4:00 p.m. on Monday in al-Muasi in central Gaza when Hamas forces fired a rocket-propelled grenade on multiple adjacent structures, along with landmines that the IDF forces had collected and brought into the buildings. This caused a total collapse that killed 19 soldiers and injured several others.

Economics and business graduate

Wollfstal, an economics and business administration graduate who attended Behre Avot and Beitir High Schools, worked at an investment company in Tel Aviv. He leaves behind a heartbroken wife, Sapir, and parents, Wally and Hali.

His funeral will take place today, Tuesday, at 2.30 p.m. in the military section of the Kfar Etzion cemetery.

Captain Nir Binyamin from Givatayim always told his family that he would propose to his long-time girlfriend once the Israel-Hamas War was over.

He was 29 years old when, in the Gaza Strip on Monday, Hamas forces fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the building within which he and his unit were operating. He fell in battle as a result.

An officer in Battalion 8208, Brigade 261, Binyamin was a "kind-hearted genius," according to Aliza Moshe, Binyamin's aunt.

"He was a combat officer who gave up on getting released and chose to continue serving," she said.

Binyamin left behind a father, mother, sister and girlfriend.

A loved one with endless potential and a strong presence

"On Friday he suddenly came to [dinner], he was off, he said he was fed up already and it had been going on for too long," his father, Ofer, told Walla. "I told him, 'Don't go back,' and he said, 'How can you say that? If I don't fight, who will?'

"The country lost a perfect kid, an engineer who was sure to be successful," he concluded. "He's been living with his girlfriend for two years in Givatayim and always said that after the war, he'd propose."

Aviya, his sister, shared funeral information on her Facebook, alongside the simple and heartbreaking message: "My brave brother."

Nir was born and raised in Tiberias by parents Ofer and Michal. The city's municipality marked his death, saying in a statement, "The city hurts and bows its head for... the late soldier Nir Binyamin who fell yesterday in the Gaza Strip."