Friendly fire in northern Gaza claims lives of three soldiers, leaves one critically injured, three in serious condition; 24 others sustain minor injures
Hanan Greenberg

Cleared for publication: Three IDF soldiers were killed and 20 others were injured, one critically and three seriously on Monday evening, in a friendly fire incident in northern Gaza.

Among the fatalities were two officers and a soldier. Colonel Avi Peled, commander of the Golani Brigade sustained minor injuries in the incident.

The injured were rushed to the Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, Soroka University Medical Center in Beersheba, Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem and the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva. All of the families have been notified.

According to the IDF Spokesman's Unit, the grave incident occurred when a tank accidentally fired a live round at a building which the troops, who were on patrol in the area, were in.

IDF explored the possibility that the building collapsed due to the detonation of explosives in it – an option which was ruled out as the details of the incident unfolded.

The extraction of the injured forces was done under IDF artillery fire, meant to provide cover for the rescue teams.