An Israeli soldier was accidentally left behind in the Gaza Strip earlier this week, wandering alone through hostile territory for 40 harrowing minutes before finding safety. The incident occurred on Tuesday following an IDF operation by the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit in the volatile Morag Corridor, nestled between Rafah and Khan Younis — a region known for fierce fighting and terrorist infrastructure. As the unit concluded its mission and withdrew back into Israeli territory, one soldier was inexplicably left behind. According to a statement by the IDF, the soldier—realizing he had been abandoned—began making his way through the danger zone on foot, calling out “IDF! IDF!” repeatedly in an effort to avoid being mistaken for a terrorist and shot by his own forces. He eventually reached troops from the Golani Brigade, who were operating nearby and took him in safely. “This is a grave incident that is being thoroughly investigated,” the IDF said in an acknowledgment of the error. “Lessons will be drawn to ensure that such a critical failure does not occur again.” The IDF has not released the soldier’s name, but officials say he was not harmed during the ordeal. Nevertheless, the breach in protocol and potential risk to life has raised serious concerns within the military’s ranks. The fact that a soldier from one of Israel’s most elite engineering units could be forgotten—if only for under an hour—inside one of the most dangerous places on earth is a startling breach of operational discipline. Military commentators have already begun questioning how such a lapse could occur during a coordinated withdrawal, and what it says about the pressure and chaos still facing troops on the ground in Gaza. The internal investigation is ongoing. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)