Israeli Tank Commander Killed in Gaza, Latest Fatality in Ongoing Conflict
In a tragic turn of events, Lt Col Salman Habaka, an Israeli tank commander who was hailed as a hero for his actions during Hamas’s attack on Be’eri kibbutz, has been killed while commanding his tank battalion in northern Gaza. The 33-year-old Habaka, a member of Israel’s Druze minority, had rushed to Be’eri with his troops when news of the Hamas attack broke on the morning of 7 October.
Habaka’s arrival at the kibbutz brought two tanks, which engaged members of the militant Islamist group in houses where they were hiding. He was among the first Israeli troops to arrive in Israel’s south as the full scope and horror of Hamas’s attack emerged. Habaka later described his part in the fighting in Be’eri in a video interview, recounting the moment when Brig Gen Barak Hiram asked him to fire a shell into a house where Hamas members were taking shelter.
Reflecting on the situation, Habaka said, “The first question that comes to your mind is – are there hostages there? We did all the preliminary checks before we decided to fire a shell into a house. And then we went from house to house to free the hostages. And that’s how the fighting was until the evening. In the kibbutz and in the streets.”
Habaka’s death marks the most senior officer to have been killed during the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) ground operation in the Gaza Strip. This brings the Israeli military death toll since the ground invasions started last weekend to 18.
As more details emerge regarding the bitter nature of the fighting in Gaza, it has been reported that Hamas and Israeli soldiers are engaging in close-quarters combat. Hamas claims to have dropped drone munitions on Israeli troops, while Israeli troops fought a three-hour-long battle against dozens of Hamas fighters who had ambushed them.
In this particular incident, around 30 Hamas gunmen armed with anti-tank missiles emerged from tunnels and attempted to infiltrate Israeli-armoured personnel carriers but failed. Israeli troops are currently advancing on Gaza City along three main routes, while Israeli officials have provided only vague statements about troop movements.
The situation remains dire for both sides, with casualties expected to rise as Israeli troops approach the densely populated residential neighbourhoods of Gaza City. Airstrikes on Tuesday and Wednesday destroyed apartment buildings in the Jabalia refugee camp near Gaza City, although the exact number of casualties is still unknown. Israel claims these strikes killed militants and demolished Hamas tunnels.
According to the Israeli military, Palestinian militants fired anti-tank missiles, set off explosive devices, and hurled grenades at Israeli troops during an overnight battle. The military responded by returning fire, calling in artillery support, and launching strikes from both helicopters and a naval ship. However, this report has yet to be independently confirmed.
As the conflict continues to escalate, there are growing concerns for the safety of civilians caught in the crossfire. The international community is closely monitoring the situation and calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities to prevent further loss of life and alleviate the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians.