Staff Sergeant Ofri Yafe, 21 years old from Hayogev, fell in combat in Gaza, the IDF reported Wednesday morning.
Yafe served as a soldier in the Paratroopers Reconnaissance Unit, and fell during combat in the southern Gaza Strip.
Initial investigations indicate that the soldier was killed as a result of friendly fire during an operational activity in Khan Yunis.
The severe incident occurred around 2:00 a.m. in the "yellow line" area in the southern Gaza Strip. Two units from the Paratroopers Brigade were carrying out a routine mission of searching and clearing buildings in the area when, during the operation, one of the units mistakenly identified the other as an enemy force.
Following the mistaken identification, fire was opened at the unit, critically wounding Staff Sergeant Yafe. A medical evacuation team was immediately dispatched to the scene, but the soldier's death was confirmed during the evacuation, before they could reach the hospital. The IDF has launched an in-depth investigation to examine the circumstances of the tragic event.
Yafe is the fifth IDF casualty in Gaza since the ceasefire went into effect on October 10, 2025. Prior to him, Major Yaniv Kula, Staff Sergeant Itay Yavetz, Master Sergeant (Res.) Yona Efraim Feldbaum, and Sergeant Major (Res.) Asael Babad were killed in combat in Gaza.
Since the start of the war on October 7, 2023, 925 IDF soldiers have fallen, and a total of 2,013 people have been killed since then.