An IDF officer was killed in an apparent accident in the southern Gaza Strip on Thursday, the military announced Friday morning, bringing Israel’s toll to 41 since it renewed its ground offensive against Hamas in March.

The military also said Friday that two soldiers were wounded, moderately and lightly, by anti-tank fire on a tank during operations in northern Gaza’s Jabalia the previous night, adding that the pair were taken to a hospital and their families were notified.

The slain soldier was named as Cpt. Reei Biran, 21, a team commander in the Golani Brigade’s reconnaissance unit, from Shorashim.

According to an IDF probe, the incident took place during an ongoing offensive in Khan Younis.

Troops were operating in buildings suspected to be used by Hamas for terror activity, rigging them up with mines in order to demolish them.

Around two hours after the buildings were mined, an explosion occurred, and Biran was hit, possibly by shrapnel or debris. He was declared dead a short while later.

The IDF said the incident was under further investigation.

“Reei, beyond being an IDF officer, was a figure of inspiration — devoted, principled, driven by a sense of mission and love for humanity,” Biran’s aunt, Orna, was quoted by Ynet as saying.

“A beloved nephew, a role model for both the younger and older cousins, who all wanted to be near him, to bask in his light, his smile, and the love he radiated in all directions. A tremendous pride in our hearts — and a longing that will never end.”

His uncle, Eitan, wrote a post on Facebook saying Reei was “a child of light, a brave fighter, a beloved son and brother, and a one-of-a-kind nephew. The pain is immense. The loss is unfathomable.”

Biran’s girlfriend, Avia, wrote on Instagram: “You’re the love of my life. Please come back to me.”

Israel’s total toll in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and in military operations along the border with the Strip since October 2023 stands at 451. The toll includes two police officers and three Defense Ministry civilian contractors.

The campaign began after the Hamas onslaught on October 7, 2023, which saw Hamas terrorists invade Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 251.