Sgt. Nachman Refael Ben Ami fell in tragic crane collapse in Gaza

The IDF just released the name of the second soldier who was killed late last night in Gaza: Sergeant Nachman Refael Ben Ami, 20, from Eilat.

The incident occurred around midnight in the northern buffer zone near the Gaza border, when strong winds caused an operational crane to collapse onto a military post where soldiers were stationed, some already asleep. The crane, used for mounting surveillance equipment and communication antennas at heights of several dozen meters, struck a tent housing military personnel.

During the same incident, Staff Sergeant (res.) Nadav Cohen, 21, from Moshav Beit Hanan, was also killed. Both Nadav and Nachman were members of the Golani Brigade's 51st Battalion.

In addition, one soldier suffered severe injuries and was rushed to hospital, while seven others sustained light to moderate wounds.

The military has launched an immediate investigation into the incident, focusing on whether proper safety protocols were followed given the extreme weather conditions. Questions are being raised about the preparedness for the stormy weather and whether adequate precautions were taken to secure the heavy equipment.

This accident comes as Israel continues its operations in Gaza amid challenging winter conditions.