IDF Investigating Death of Soldier in Incident with Armed Civilians

The Israeli Defence Force is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Binyamin Malet, a member of a reserve force unit, following an incident in the village of Tal. Malet was wounded during the incident and died approximately 20 minutes after being evacuated from the scene. The IDF has indicated it will examine the conduct of the medic who treated him, raising questions about potential delays in medical response.

According to reports, the group that came under attack did not have formal authorisation to be in the area, though general intelligence assessments had reached divisional command. When an armed individual seized a weapon, reserve officer Yuval Ezra responded by engaging the threat. However, two off-duty soldiers who joined the group and opened fire on the armed individuals have faced criticism from the Chief of Staff for their involvement in the incident.

The incident has sparked an internal military review into the rules of engagement and the response protocols when civilians or reserve personnel become involved in security situations. The IDF has not ruled out the possibility that Malet may have been killed by friendly fire during the confrontation, a scenario that would add another layer of complexity to the investigation.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.