IDF soldier Corporal Tamir Barak, 19, from Kibbutz Nir Eliyahu located northeast of Kfar Saba, was killed on Sunday during operational activity in the Gaza Strip, it was cleared for publication on Monday morning.
Three additional soldiers were wounded in the incident, which occurred when an anti-tank missile was fired at a tank and an engineering vehicle during a raid earlier in the Gaza Strip in the Kissufim area.
IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari announced that the activity was part of the effort to dismantle terror infrastructure, clear the area of terrorists and weapons, and locate missing persons and bodies.
The families were notified.
Hagari discussed the preparations for the ground offensive and stated: "We are expanding the rate of strikes in the Gaza Strip and their scope. We are working this way to prepare the ground for a maneuver to reduce the threats to the soldiers who will enter the Gaza Strip. Therefore, we are striking hard from the sky, and we will continue that way until we begin the maneuver - the moment the diplomatic rank decides to do so."
The Spokesperson added: "The diplomatic rank set goals for us: the first one is to destroy Hamas's governmental targets, the second is to destroy its military capabilities, and there is one more central goal in this war - bringing back the hostages. We are continuing to use the time to heighten our preparedness."
Regarding the question of whether terrorists would be released in return for the hostages, Hagari answered: "There are no deals on the table."
He also commented on an incident earlier in the day in which an IDF tank accidentally fired at an Egyptian military post. "We spoke with our Egyptian counterparts, we expressed remorse, it is an operational malfunction. We will share the details of the investigation with the Egyptians."