The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) announced today the death of a soldier in the Gaza envelope due to what it says is “operational activity.”

The soldier is identified as Sergeant (reserve) Ran Yaebetz, a soldier in the 6828th patrol battalion, 38 years old – and was killed after a mortar barrel exploded.

Earlier today, the IOF said that five soldiers were killed and seven others were injured in what it claimed was “friendly fire” in Jabalia, north Gaza.

Three of the seven injured soldiers are suffering from “serious injuries”, the statement added.

An initial probe by the IOF said that a tank fired two two shells at a building where the soldiers were in; after the tank operators saw a gun barrel out of a window in the building and mistook it for Palestinian resistance fighters.