Sergeant First Class (res.) Yakir Shmuel Tatelbaum, 21, from Ma’ale Adumim, and Staff Sergeant Yair Avitan, 20, from Ra’anana, tragically lost their lives in a battle in the Shejaiya neighborhood of Gaza City in northern Gaza on Friday, just before Shabbos.

Tatelbaum served in the 77th Battalion of the 7th Brigade, while Avitan was part of the 890th Battalion of the Paratroopers Brigade. Several other soldiers were severely injured during the clash.

This brings the total number of IDF soldiers who have fallen in battle in Gaza to 318.