An Israeli military battalion previously linked to the killing of a six-year-old Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab, in Gaza has suffered a major battlefield loss in southern Lebanon. The Israeli army confirmed that its commander and three soldiers were killed during an overnight incident near Kfar Tibnit.
The army identified the commander as Lt. Col. Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, head of the 52nd Battalion of the 401st Armored Brigade. He was killed when the unit’s Merkava tank was struck during what Israel described as a “security incident.”
According to the military, the strike occurred shortly after midnight and is being investigated. Officials said it is still unclear whether the tank was hit by an explosive drone or another type of weapon.
Israeli media reports described the incident as one of the most serious losses for Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon in recent months.
Battalion Linked to Hind Rajab Case in Gaza
The 52nd Battalion of the 401st Armored Brigade has drawn international attention over its alleged involvement in the killing of Hind Rajab during Israel’s Gaza war.
Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian girl, was trapped in a vehicle in Gaza City’s Tel al-Hawa area in January 2024 after Israeli fire killed several members of her family.
According to documented recordings, the child survived the initial strike and called emergency services while surrounded by the bodies of her relatives, pleading for help.
An ambulance sent to rescue her was later also struck, killing two paramedics. Her body was recovered days later along with members of her family and the ambulance crew.
The case became one of the most widely reported incidents of the Gaza war and triggered global outrage.
Investigations and War Crimes Allegations
Investigations by the Hind Rajab Foundation, a Belgium-based rights group, along with open-source analysts and media reports, linked units of the 52nd Battalion and the 401st Brigade to operations in the area where the incident occurred.
The group later filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC), naming former commanders of the battalion and brigade officials, accusing them of war crimes in relation to the deaths of Hind Rajab, her family, and the rescue team.
An investigation by Al Jazeera also identified senior officers connected to the battalion in relation to the operation.
The Israeli military has not publicly confirmed any wrongdoing in the case.
Frequent Command Changes and Battlefield Losses
Reports from Israeli media indicate that the 52nd Battalion has experienced repeated leadership changes since the beginning of the Gaza war in October 2023.
According to The Times of Israel, Lt. Col. Ben Simhon was the fourth commander of the battalion to be killed or wounded since the war expanded across Gaza and Lebanon.
Previous commanders were reportedly injured or reassigned after sustaining battlefield injuries in both Gaza and southern Lebanon operations.
Israeli media also reported that the battalion has been actively deployed in major combat zones, including Gaza City, Jabaliya, and Tel al-Hawa, before being transferred to operations in Lebanon.
Wider War Context
The war in Gaza began in October 2023 and has led to massive destruction across the territory. Palestinian health authorities say more than 73,000 people have been killed and over 173,000 injured, most of them civilians, including women and children.
Much of Gaza’s infrastructure has been destroyed, and humanitarian conditions remain severe.
Although a ceasefire has been in place since October 10, 2025, both sides have continued to accuse each other of violations, with reports of ongoing violence and further casualties.
