One of them crashed inside the outpost where they were staying in Beit Hanun, and when they approached it - for an unclear reason - it exploded.
Sergeant (res.) Nadav Kelly, 24, from Har Halutz, and Sergeant Ofek Mualem, 23, from Jerusalem, were killed yesterday in an IDF drone explosion in the northern Gaza Strip.
The details of the incident indicate that the two were killed as a result of an operational malfunction in the drone that exploded.
The fighters, who were stationed at a post near Beit Hanun, flew two drones. The first launch was successful and reached its destination. During the second operation, another drone was sent that crashed inside the post. The fighters approached it, and for an unclear reason - it exploded on them.
The fighters were treated in the field and evacuated in critical condition by helicopter to a hospital in Israel, where they were pronounced dead.
The incident is being investigated and all angles are being examined, including whether the explosion was caused by communications disruptions.
For now, until findings are received, the use of the type of drone that exploded has been discontinued.
According to IDF estimates, the drone did not fall due to Hamas's frequency jamming or radio-frequency jamming capabilities.
This is a "Bat" type drone - which the IDF uses as a suicide drone and as one that drops munitions.
According to IDF data, 970 soldiers have fallen since the beginning of the war.
