IDF: Two soldiers killed in Gaza Strip battle

Two Israeli soldiers were killed during a battle in the central Gaza Strip. The IDF has released the names of the fallen soldiers.

Sgt. First Class (res.) Omer Smadga, 25, of the Alexandroni Brigade’s 9203rd Battalion, from Ganot Hadar.

Omer was the son of Olympic medalist and Israel's national judo team coach Oren Smadga, and was killed on his father's birthday.

Sgt. First Class (res.) Saadia Yaakov Derai, 27, of the Alexandroni Brigade’s 9203rd Battalion, from Tel Aviv. Saadia was the son of Laly Derai, a journalist, member of the Binyamin Regional Council, and founder of the war orphans assistance project Hamaniot. Saadia is survived by his widow, Rachel, and two children, one-year-old Inon and two-year-old Halali.

Another three soldiers of the Alexandroni Brigade were seriously wounded in the same battle.

314 soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the start of the ground operation on October 27, 2023.