IDF Sgt.-Maj. (Res.) Asael Babad, 38, died on Wednesday night after succumbing to wounds sustained in Rafah fighting, the military said on Thursday.
The IDF stated that Babad, from Geva Binyamin, was a combat fighter in the 941st Battalion of the Menashe Regional Brigade.
The IDF noted that he was severely injured during combat in Rafah on October 19, 2025.
His funeral will take place on Thursday at 3 p.m. at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery.
Babad leaves behind a wife and five children
Kan reported that Babad leaves behind a wife, Hagit, and five children. He would have celebrated his 39th birthday in two weeks.
According to the IDF's tally, the death of Sgt.-Maj. (Res.) Asael Babad raises the total of combat fighters killed on or since October 7, 2023, to 924.
Around 471 soldiers and reservists have been killed since the start of the military's ground operations in the Strip on October 27.
This is a developing story.