Israeli contractor mistakenly shot dead by IDF in Gaza

“We can’t fathom that we’re speaking about him in the past tense,” says friend of man killed in friendly-fire incident.

By World Israel News Staff

A civilian contractor working as an engineer for the Defense Ministry was mistakenly shot and killed by IDF forces in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, the military said in a media statement.

Hebrew-language media identified the slain man as Eilat resident Kobi Avitan, a 39-year-old father of three.

According to reports, Avitan was operating an excavator to clear damaged structures in the Netzarim Corridor area of central Gaza.

Throughout the war, the Defense Ministry has hired civilian contractors for engineering and other activities within the Strip. This practice eases the burden on IDF troops and allows the military to leverage them for combat missions rather than other tasks.

An initial IDF investigation found that a soldier guarding a post near Netzarim opened fire on Avitan after falsely identifying him as a terrorist.

“Kobi was a man with a huge heart. We can’t fathom that we’re speaking about him in the past tense. Whatever we needed, he was the first to come and help, always volunteering,” Nati Twito, a friend of Avitan, told Walla.

“He volunteered in many places; in anything he could help with, he was there. This is a massive tragedy. Everyone is shocked and in disbelief, unable to comprehend that Kobi is no longer with us,” Twito added.

The slaying of Avitan marked the first time since the beginning of the ceasefire that an Israeli civilianwas killed in the coastal enclave.

The last fatalities before the ceasefire occurred in Beit Hanoun on January 13th, when Hamas terrorists fired an anti-tank missile at a building, killing five soldiers from the Nahal Brigade.

In May 2024, another civilian contractor, identified as Liron Yitzhak, 30, was killed during an attack by Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip.

Since the war began on October 7, 2023, 840 Israeli soldiers and police officers have been killed.