The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, have revealed gripping details about the complex ambush their fighters carried out against Israeli occupation forces east of Jabalia refugee camp just days ago. The operation, which the Israeli army was forced to acknowledge, resulted in the killing of three soldiers and the wounding of others.
According to a statement by Al-Qassam, the fighters returned from the battlefield confirming the execution of a meticulously planned ambush within the eastern buffer zone near the Al-Mabhouh site, located east of Jabalia camp.
During the operation, the fighters reportedly destroyed a Namer armoured personnel carrier using a Yassin-105 rocket and a Shawaz explosive device, resulting in multiple Israeli casualties among its crew.
As Israeli rescue units arrived and attempted to withdraw, the resistance fighters detonated a powerful explosive device beneath a military Humvee, killing and injuring those inside. Immediately after, they engaged the remaining Israeli forces in close-quarters combat using light weapons.
In a striking moment of resistance, as a Yas’ur helicopter landed to evacuate casualties, it was targeted with machine gun fire by Al-Qassam fighters, forcing the aircraft to retreat.
This account directly contradicts the version circulated by Israeli military sources and echoed in Hebrew-language media, which claimed that a fire broke out in the armoured vehicle due to engine overheating. According to that narrative, the explosion occurred as the troops attempted to recover the vehicle and were then targeted with an IED.
However, on Tuesday morning, the Israeli military officially admitted that three of its soldiers were killed and two others wounded in the Jabalia ambush.
The deceased, all from the elite Givati Brigade, were identified as:
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- Lior Steinberg, 20
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- Ofek Barhana, 20
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- Omer Van Gelder, 22
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the loss, stating:
“We send our condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers. Our hearts ache during this painful moment.”
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir added:
“Tuesday began with a painful morning following the deaths of the three soldiers.”
In a related development, Yedioth Ahronoth reported growing discontent within the Israeli army. Military sources revealed that officers have voiced frustration over the disorganised mobilisation of reserve forces, which were hastily recalled due to the intensifying Gaza conflict.
One officer reportedly stated:
“We are facing a shortage of over 10,000 soldiers—either killed, wounded, or suffering from panic attacks and combat trauma.”
On Monday evening, Al-Qassam announced that its fighters were engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces east of Jabalia. Hebrew media confirmed the report, referring to it as a “complex and difficult ambush.”
Through a brief statement on its official Telegram channel, Al-Qassam declared:
“Our fighters are locked in intense battles with the enemy from point-blank range, striking enemy troops with deadly precision in eastern Jabalia, northern Gaza.”
