Two Israeli soldiers were killed when a military helicopter crashed in the Rafah area, southern Gaza Strip, during an overnight mission, Israel’s army said on Wednesday.
The Black Hawk helicopter from the Israeli Air Force was evacuating an injured soldier to a hospital for medical treatment when it crashed.
Seven other soldiers were injured and were subsequently evacuated for medical care, according to the army’s statement.
“An initial inquiry indicates that the crash was not due to enemy action,” said the statement. The cause of the incident is under further investigation by a committee appointed by Air Force Commander Tomer Bar.
It added that the Air Force’s operational activities remain unaffected.
The IDF said that it has performed hundreds of successful rescue missions in Gaza, saving around 1,700 soldiers generally without incident until now.
The IDF claimed that no enemy forces had hit the helicopter and that the reasons for the accident would be clarified in an ongoing probe.
