An Israel Defense Forces reservist was killed by an explosive device during operations in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday, the military announced.
His death — the second fatal casualty in Gaza in three days — came as the IDF drew some forces out of the Strip, redeploying them along the borders with Egypt and Jordan, after Gaza was downgraded to a secondary arena amid a new campaign against Iran’s nuclear program.
It also came as Hamas-controlled authorities in Gaza said 20 people had been killed by IDF fire the previous day while trying to reach a distribution site for humanitarian aid.
Cpt. Tal Movshovitz, 28, a deputy company commander in the 7086th Combat Engineering Battalion, from Re’ut, was killed in Khan Younis on Monday.
According to an initial IDF probe, he was killed by an explosive planted inside a building.
His death brought Israel’s toll in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and in military operations along the border with the Strip to 431.
According to the military, four IDF divisions are currently operating in Gaza, after the 98th Division, an elite formation of paratroopers and commando units, was taken out of Khan Younis and sent elsewhere as the Iran conflict began.
Still, tens of thousands of troops are operating in the Strip.
The military said Monday it has drawn down some forces from Gaza amid the ongoing conflict with Iran, and has instead bolstered the borders with Egypt and Jordan.
The IDF said it has tripled the usual number of forces on the Jordanian border, in recent days deploying the newly formed 96th “Gilad” Division to the northern portion of the Jordan border, while the 80th “Edom” Divison has bolstered the southern section.
The 80th Division has also bolstered troops along the border with Egypt.
In northern Israel, the IDF said it continues to defend against potential threats from Lebanon and Syria.
Gaza’s Hamas-controlled civil defense agency said Israeli troops killed 20 people waiting to collect food on Monday, in the latest deadly incident near an aid center run by the Israel- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund.
Bassal said that “20 martyrs and more than 200 wounded by occupation gunfire” were taken to nearby hospitals.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it had received 200 people at its field hospital in the Al-Mawasi area near Rafah, without elaborating on the circumstances.
In a statement on X, it said it was “the highest number received by the Red Cross Field Hospital in one mass casualty incident.”
The Israeli military said it was looking into the reports, which have been a near-daily occurrence since GHF launched its sites on May 26.
The GHF began distributing food packages in Gaza at the end of May, overseeing a new model of aid distribution that the United Nations says is neither impartial nor neutral. Its operations have been plagued by deadly shooting incidents in areas leading to its sites.
The IDF is not present at the sites that are protected by civilian contractors, but does secure the approach routes. The IDF has admitted that in some cases, troops fired warning shots or fired at suspects who approached them while ignoring warnings to stay away from military positions.
The lack of international media access to the Strip has made verifying either side’s claims almost impossible.
Israel believes that its strikes against Iran will help in talks with Hamas to reach a ceasefire deal, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel on Monday.
“The backing for Hamas will not be as strong,” said the official. “Hamas will feel compelled to move forward with an agreement.”
Weeks ago, Israel proposed a deal in which Hamas would release 10 living hostages on the first day of a 60-day ceasefire, and two more a month later, according to the official.
Families of hostages in Gaza have expressed their worry in recent days that the fighting with Iran has overshadowed the plight of their captive loved ones.
Israel launched its campaign in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
Terror groups in Gaza continue to hold 53 hostages, including the bodies of at least 33 confirmed dead by the IDF, and 20 who are believed to be alive. There are grave concerns for the well-being of three others, Israeli officials have said.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.