Sgt. (res.) Nadav Cohen killed in crane accident in Gaza Strip

Sergeant (res.) Nadav Cohen was killed in the northern Gaza Strip today, when a crane collapsed on him and two other soldiers due to stormy weather. He was 21 years old.

A crane collapsed on First Sergeant Nadav Cohen and two other soldiers of the Golani Brigade in the Gaza Strip due to intensifying stormy weather sweeping throughout the country.

The crane killed Cohen and another soldier whose name has not yet been made public.

Another soldier was seriously wounded and evacuated to the hospital. His family was informed.

Cohen, from the moshav of Beit Hanan, was posthumously promoted from First Sergeant to Sergeant First Class.

According to Kann reporter Itay Blumenthal, eight soldiers were wounded from the crane collapse in addition to the two killed, one of them critically.

The incident took place around midnight, with the stormy weather, which included strong winds reaching a speed of over 60 kilometers per hour, forcing the crane to collapse and land directly on a tent containing many soldiers, some of whom were asleep.

Blumenthal said that cranes of this type, known as "lifting platforms," are used by the IDF to set up observational installations and communications antennas dozens of meters tall.

The IDF is currently investigating the serious incident, as the danger of coming stormy weather has been predicted for days now.

According to another report, the IDF has decided to dismantle all cranes in the area due to the danger of collapse, following the tragic incident.

The IDF continues to be present throughout the Gaza Strip in the first phase of the hostage deal and the subsequent ceasefire, along the Netzarim and Philadelphi corridors and elsewhere.

If and when Israel moves forward with the second phase of the deal, it will have to withdraw those forces from the corridors. If the deal is completed in its third phase, the IDF will withdraw entirely from the Gaza Strip.