The IDF has announced the deaths of 21 soldiers who were killed in an incident in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday, during which two buildings collapsed following a large explosion, and a tank was apparently hit by an RPG.

Their deaths bring the toll of slain troops in the ground offensive against Hamas to 219.

The IDF is still probing the cause of the blast, but it is thought to have been caused by an RPG fired at the building where mines were stored. Rescue efforts continued for several hours after the incident.

Engineering forces were in the process of booby-trapping ten two-story buildings, positioned just over half a kilometer from the Gaza border. Simultaneously, other forces were ensuring the security of this operation. Around 4:00 p.m., a terrorist emerged from a tunnel shaft and fired an RPG missile at a tank responsible for safeguarding the mission. This attack resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and the injury of two others.

Concurrently, an anti-tank missile was launched at two buildings, where numerous soldiers were stationed. It is believed that the missile’s explosion within one of the buildings triggered the booby-trap, causing the buildings to collapse onto the soldiers.

The soldiers, Hashem Yikom Damam:

Sgt. Maj. (res.) Matan Lazar HY’D, 32, 261st Brigade’s 6261st Battalion, from Haifa.

Sgt. First Class (res.) Hadar Kapeluk HY’D, 23, squad commander in the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Mevo Beitar.

Sgt. Maj. (res.) Sergey Gontmaher HY’D, 37, 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Ramat Gan.

Sgt. First Class (res.) Elkana Yehuda Sfez HY’D, 25, 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Kiryat Arba.

Sgt. First Class (res.) Yoval Lopez HY’D, 27, 205th Brigade’s 9206th Battalion, from Alon Shvut.

Master Sgt. (res.) Yoav Levi HY’D, 29, 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Yehud-Monosson.

Sgt. First Class (res.) Nicholas Berger HY’D, 22, 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Jerusalem.

Sgt. First Class (res.) Cydrick Garin HY’D, 23, 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Tel Aviv.

Sgt. Maj. (res.) Rafael Elias Mosheyoff HY’D, 33, 261st Brigade’s 6261st Battalion, from Pardes Hanna-Karkur.

Sgt. Maj. (res.) Barak Chaim Ben Valid HY’D, 33, a squad commander in the 261st Brigade’s 6261st Battalion, from Rishon Lezion.

Sgt. First Class (res.) Ahmad Abu Latif, 26, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Rahat.

Cpt. (res.) Nir Binyamin, HY’D, 29, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Givatayim.

Master Sgt. (res.) Elkana Vizel, HY’D, 35, a squad commander in the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Bnei Dekalim.

Sgt. First Class (res.) Yisrael Socol, HY’D, 24, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Karnei Shomron.

Cpt. (res.) Ariel Mordechay Wollfstal, HY’D, 28, of the 205th Brigade’s 9206th Battalion, from Elazar.

Sgt. First Class (res.) Sagi Idan, HY’D, 24, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Rosh Haayin.

Sgt. Maj. (res.) Mark Kononovich, HY’D, 35, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Herzliya.

Sgt. Maj. (res.) Itamar Tal, HY’D, 32, of the 261st Brigade’s 6261st Battalion, from Mesilot.

Sgt. Maj. (res.) Adam Bismut, HY’D, 35, a squad commander in the 261st Brigade’s 6261st Battalion, from Karnei Shomron.

Sgt. Maj. (res.) Shay Biton Hayun, HY’D, 40, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Zichron Yaakov.

Sgt. Maj. (res.) Daniel Kasau Zegeye, HY’D, 38, of the 261st Brigade’s 8208th Battalion, from Yokne’am Illit.

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