As stormy weather wreaks havoc on displaced Palestinians in Gaza, an Israeli military crane collapsed, killing two soldiers.
Two Israeli soldiers were killed, and eight others wounded when a military crane collapsed overnight in the Israeli-declared buffer zone inside Gaza, the Israeli army announced Thursday morning.
The soldiers were identified as Sgt. First Class (res.) Nadav Cohen, 21, from Beit Hanan, and Staff Sgt. Nachman Refael Ben Ami, 20, from Eilat. According to Israeli media, both were members of the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion.
Of the eight wounded, one remains in serious condition, while the others sustained moderate to light injuries.
The Times of Israel reported that the incident occurred around midnight at a military position near the Israel-Gaza border.
According to an initial Israeli military probe, strong winds from a storm sweeping across the region caused the crane—used for mobile surveillance operations—to topple. As it fell, it crashed onto a fortified military post, landing on a tent where soldiers were stationed.
LOCAL MEDIA: Heavy winds and rain caused tents in southern Gaza to flood or blow away, worsening living conditions. pic.twitter.com/5y5CKvQ0uD
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 6, 2025
The crane had been holding aloft a platform containing surveillance equipment and antennas, which the Israeli military has used throughout its war on Gaza to provide mobile observation for its ground forces.
The collapse not only caused casualties but also damaged military infrastructure in the buffer zone, an area Israel has been expanding since its invasion of the Strip.
In response to the incident, the Israeli military has launched an investigation, with Hebrew media questioning why the crane had not been secured or lowered despite clear weather warnings.
According to initial reports, the army failed to take proper precautions, allowing the strong winds to destabilize the equipment.
The Israeli military has now ordered a suspension of all similar crane platforms used in Gaza, signaling concerns over safety lapses and operational failures.
Gaza’s Humanitarian Disaster
The storm that led to the crane collapse has also worsened the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where displaced Palestinians living in makeshift tents are enduring catastrophic conditions.
The Gaza Municipality spokesperson told Al-Jazeera that local authorities lack the resources to assist the displaced, as sewage and rainwater have flooded hundreds of shelters.
With an acute shortage of equipment and aid, the municipality has been unable to respond to the emergency.
“The municipality lacks the necessary tools to deal with this disaster,” the spokesperson said, emphasizing that many families are now stranded in the flooded camps.
(PC, AJA)
Hmmm…death from above, while sleeping in a tent. What’s that like?? i’m thinking of all the defenseless people: children, being bombed in displacement camps. Look what the IDF did in Rafah. But this only reaffirms just how inept, incapable the IDF really are. And obviously it’s a nice heaping helping of justice. If they weren’t surveilling and using high-end technology to dominate and control everyone there, this would have never happened.
YAY!!
the fewer IDF, the better. get your ass out of Palestine. it’s not yours.