In a tragic turn of events, Israeli military forces experienced their deadliest casualty incident during the recent Gaza invasion. On Monday, 21 reserve soldiers lost their lives while attempting to plant explosives for a controlled demolition in southern Gaza.

According to Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), the soldiers were rigging two buildings with mines when Hamas commandos fired a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) at an Israeli tank deployed to protect them. This caused a chain reaction, resulting in the collapse of the structures onto the Israeli soldiers who were either inside or near the buildings.

While details regarding the exact cause of the explosion inside the buildings remain unclear, the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, released a statement aligning with the IDF's description of the attack. The Qassam Brigades indicated that they had targeted the structure, leading to the explosion of IDF's ammunition and engineering equipment, completely destroying it.

Controlled demolitions have become a common tactic employed by Israeli forces in Gaza, purportedly to eliminate Hamas facilities or gain access to subterranean tunnels. However, this incident marks the first public admission that the Israeli military's systematic destruction of entire areas in eastern Gaza is not solely aimed at targeting tunnels or infrastructure but also intended to depopulate additional areas of Gaza, thereby securing nearby Israeli settlements.

Rear Adm. Hagari clarified that the two buildings in question were marked for demolition as they were located within a buffer zone unilaterally declared by Israel between Gaza and Israel. The objective was to safeguard an Israeli kibbutz situated half a mile from Gaza against potential future attacks.

The IDF acknowledged that their systematic destruction of Palestinian buildings is specifically aimed at neutralizing structures enabling surveillance and firing capabilities towards Israel. Through the statement, the IDF indicated that hundreds of buildings have already been demolished as part of their ongoing efforts.

Alarming videos have surfaced on social media platforms such as TikTok, showing IDF soldiers gleefully triggering controlled explosions in Palestinian neighborhoods and even destroying educational, cultural, and government institutions. In one such video, an Israeli soldier jokes about setting up a real estate company while a military bulldozer knocks down houses in Khan Younis.

This unfortunate incident highlights the deepening quagmire faced by Israel, as the loss of 21 troops signifies the single largest known loss of Israeli military forces during the Gaza invasion. As the situation continues to evolve, both Israeli and Palestinian factions are grappling with the implications and consequences of their actions in the ongoing conflict.