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IDF soldier killed in operational accident

An IDF soldier was killed in an accident while operating on the border with Egypt. 

By: World Israel News Staff

An IDF soldier was killed on Saturday on the border with Egypt when the tank he was riding in ran into a ditch and a fire broke out. Another three soldiers were seriously injured in the incident.

The victim was named as Sgt. Eliyahu Drori, 20, of Beit Shemesh.

An initial investigation indicates that the tank team of four was alerted to the border following an attempt by smugglers to cross the border from Egypt into Israel while sabotaging security infrastructure in the area.

While driving in the dark the tank ran into a ditch, causing a shell to catch fire. The fire extinguishing system went off, but Drori, the tank driver, did not survive the incident. It is unclear if he died of the fire or of the chemicals deployed by the fire extinguishing system.

The inquiry has yet to determine why the shell exploded inside the tank, a rare and unusual incident.

The Military Police launched an investigation into Drori’s death, while the Armored Corps has established a panel to fully investigate the tragic incident.

Two of Drori’s comrades are hospitalized in the ICU in a Soroka hospital in Be’er Sheva in a medically induced coma, while a third soldier is hospitalized in the plastic surgery department.