The Martyr Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced on Monday that their fighters successfully carried out an operation against a newly established Israeli military position in Jabalia Refugee Camp, located in northern Gaza. The operation reportedly resulted in the elimination of five Israeli soldiers at close range.
In a statement published on their Telegram channel, Al-Qassam described the mission as a multi-pronged operation, which involved the destruction of an Israeli Merkava tank along with its crew. Additionally, they targeted a military jeep carrying Israeli soldiers using hand grenades, leaving several casualties.
The brigades also claimed responsibility for destroying an Israeli personnel carrier using a Yassin-105 rocket-propelled grenade, killing and injuring its occupants in Beit Hanoun, another area in northern Gaza.
Israeli Military Acknowledges Losses
The Israeli occupation forces confirmed in a statement that one soldier was killed and seven others were wounded, including three in critical condition, during a strike on a house where they were stationed in Beit Hanoun. The house was reportedly hit by an anti-tank missile.
The Israeli military identified the deceased soldier as Sergeant Uriel Peretz (23 years old) from Beitar Illit, an illegal settlement south of Jerusalem. He was a member of the Nahal Haredi (Netzah Yehuda) Battalion under the Kfir Brigade.
Three other soldiers from the same battalion sustained serious injuries and were evacuated to a hospital in Israel for treatment. Their families have been notified, according to Israeli military sources. However, the details surrounding the attack and the injuries remain unclear.
Escalating Losses Among Israeli Forces
The Hebrew daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that a Palestinian fighter launched the anti-tank missile that struck the house in Beit Hanoun, killing one soldier and wounding seven others, including the critically injured.
This brings the total number of Israeli military fatalities to 41 soldiers since the ground invasion of northern Gaza began on October 5, 2024, according to Israeli Army Radio.
Last Monday, three more Israeli soldiers from the Kfir Brigade, including a captain, were killed by an explosive device in Beit Hanoun. This followed the Israeli military’s decision to expand its ground operations into the western parts of the town.
Al-Qassam Strikes Again in Jabalia
Two days ago, the Al-Qassam Brigades announced that their fighters carried out another attack on an Israeli military outpost in the Abu Safiya area, east of Jabalia Refugee Camp.
“After returning from the frontlines, our fighters reported infiltrating an Israeli military position, engaging enemy soldiers with light arms and hand grenades, and inflicting casualties,” Al-Qassam said in a statement.
Continued Resistance Amid Ongoing Aggression
Despite the ongoing siege and relentless Israeli attacks for over 451 days, resistance factions in Gaza remain resolute. They continue to defend against Israeli ground incursions and have launched rockets targeting settlements and cities deep within occupied Palestine.
One of the most significant recent operations occurred last Saturday, when the Israeli military admitted that its air defense systems intercepted two rockets launched from northern Gaza towards Jerusalem.
Hebrew media outlets reported that the rockets originated from Beit Hanoun, a location in close proximity to Israeli forces operating in the area.
Warnings Amid Ethnic Cleansing
Amid the sustained ethnic cleansing campaign in northern Gaza, the Israeli military issued renewed warnings to Palestinian residents in the area, particularly in Beit Hanoun, to evacuate. The warnings are part of an ongoing strategy to displace Palestinians, intensifying the humanitarian crisis in the region.
