IDF Soldier Killed, 6 Seriously Injured After RPG Hits Khan Younis Guard Post

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — BDE: The IDF announced Friday that Sergeant-Major Alon Kudriashov, 21, from Modi’in, a member of the elite Egoz unit, was killed in action in southern Gaza after an RPG missile struck the building where he was stationed.

Alon Kudriashov HyD

When Alon was born, his parents tasked sister Keren with naming their son. She called him Alon after the Israeli oak tree which is the strongest tree in the region. She described him as “strong but sensitive, tall and goodlooking, full of goodness and gentle nature, a lover of people.”

Alon excelled at all sports he took up, from karate where he reached a black belt to diving and many other extreme sports including skiing in difficult terrain which he would do with his father.

Alon started his army service in air force training but soon found his place in the Egoz commando unit. He had intended on travelling to Thailand and South America with his army mates but unfortunately died in Friday’s attack.

It was also reported that six other soldiers from the Egoz unit were seriously injured in the same incident, and another 10 soldiers were injured in various degrees. The injured were evacuated for medical treatment at the hospital, and their families were notified.

The incident occurred around 10:00 Friday morning when an RPG (Rocket-Propelled Grenade) was fired by a terrorist and hit the upper floor of the building where the Egoz unit was stationed in the Al-Amal neighborhood in western Khan Younis. As a result of the explosion and the collapse of the walls in the building, 17 soldiers were injured – six severely, five moderately, and five lightly – and Alon Kudriashov was killed.

A complex and swift rescue operation led by Unit 669 and Israeli Air Force rescue helicopters evacuated the wounded to the hospital within 55 minutes of the explosion. The rescue operation was secured by Golani fighters and IAF aircraft who isolated the area. Life-saving surgeries were performed on some of the severely injured soldiers.

In the area where the unit has been operating in recent days, near the Nasser Hospital, there has already been at least one encounter in which a terrorist was identified approaching IDF forces on Thursday and was neutralized by them. Egoz soldiers arrested around 20 Hamas wanted individuals in the neighborhood, whose investigation led to the discovery of numerous terror plots this week, despite the IDF already being active in the area. One of the plots uncovered a large cache of dozens of powerful explosives.