The Israel Defense Force high command has ordered an investigation into the deaths last week of two soldiers taking part in a map-reading exercise under conditions of extreme heat in the southern Negev.
The victims, Yaron Ben-David, 19, of Jerusalem and Ofer Efran, 19, of Afula, were pronounced dead on arrival May 28 at Josephthal Hospital in Eilat, where they were taken by helicopter from the training area.
The cause of death appeared to have been heat stroke and dehydration. The men were exposed to temperatures of 108 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade and only 5 percent humidity. Under such conditions, the training exercise should have been called off, the meteorological service said.
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