Reservist At Scene Of Gaza Tragedy: ‘If Rules Were Followed, 14 Lives Could Have Been Saved’

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The tragic building collapse near the Gaza border which led to the deaths of 21 soldiers took place during a vital operation: Clearing the border region in order to create a buffer zone between Israeli communities and Gaza in a future scenario where Gazan residents return to the region. [Despite the importance of this mission for Israel’s security, the Biden Administration expressed its opposition to the move. “We do not want to see the territory of Gaza reduced in any way. We won’t support that,” National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters at the White House Tuesday.]

Yet the collapse and subsequent losses raise questions about the IDF’s ability to adapt, learn lessons and maintain its cutting edge by changing and innovating its strategies in the wake of previous events.

Just two weeks ago a similar tragedy occurred when a tank fired a shell during the course of a tunnel demolition in El-Boreij. The shell hit a pole which fell on the explosives being prepared, detonating them. Six soldiers were killed.

After this occurred, soldiers were warned not to stay in a house while it was being booby-trapped for demolition, but somehow the orders were not properly implemented.

One of the reserve soldiers who was fighting in the region where the tragedy occurred explained to Yediot Aharonot that “There were three forces in the sector: A force conquering the houses, a tank force and a demolition crew. The activity should have been straightforward. They go in, conquer the houses, see that they don’t have any weaponry or hidden tunnels and then the demolition crew arrives. At this point the conquering force leaves and when the crew ends its job everyone goes out and then they detonate.”

“In this case a terrorist cell emerged and fired at the two buildings from a nearby orvhard, causing them to collapse. What happened was that the conquering force stayeed inside. They worked fast, everything was perfect, they’ve done this tens and even hundreds of times. The terrorists surprised them, it wasn’t expected that there are still active terrorists less than 1000 meters from the border.”

The reservists adds a chilling comment. “If they would have acted according to regulations, 14 soldiers would have been saved. The tank force couldn’t have been saved [although technically the IDF has special protective equipment against anti-tank RPG’s, this tank did not have such protection], but those who weren’t supposed to be in the house would have  been saved. These activities occur daily and such things must not happen again, so many soldiers in an area mined with explosives in violation of regulations.”

The reservist stressed that one regulation which was observed saved many lives. “All the houses were together and one act detonates them but the connections between the booby traps are not made until the end and this saved many other soldiers as if it wasn’t the case all the houses would have blown up.”

IDF spokesman Hagari referred to the large numbers of soldiers present at the demolition and said that “this will be the central point of investigation.”