The Hebrew newspaper Maariv reported that the Israeli occupation army has begun noticing a significant shift in the way Hamas fighters engage its forces, particularly following the 99th Division’s manoeuvres in the southern areas of Gaza City’s al-Zaytoun neighbourhood.
According to the paper, a military source admitted:
“They came to the fight more organised and more daring in confronting our forces. Unlike what happened in Beit Hanoun a few weeks ago, we are seeing fighters mining key routes with explosive devices and carrying out a considerable number of anti-tank missile attacks against our troops.”
The source added that, in his words, “thanks to proper procedures taken by the forces, no injuries were recorded among us.” He further claimed that Israeli troops had managed to “eliminate a number of fighters in recent days in al-Zaytoun, and target several Hamas field positions in the neighbourhood.”
Israeli Deployment in al-Zaytoun
Maariv noted that the forces deployed in al-Zaytoun include the 990th Fire Brigade, fighters from the Nahal Brigade, and the 7th Armoured Brigade, all tasked with seizing areas of the neighbourhood. The stated goal is to tighten the siege on Gaza City and establish greater control over its interior through surveillance and heavy firepower.
Al-Qassam Brigades’ Response
Meanwhile, the military wing of Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades, announced a series of successful operations against Israeli forces. In separate statements, it confirmed that its fighters:
- Targeted a Zionist Merkava-4 tank and a D9 military bulldozer with two al-Yasin 105 shells on Street 8, south of al-Zaytoun.
- Struck another Merkava tank with an al-Yasin 105 shell in the al-Musallaba area, south of al-Zaytoun.
The Brigades further stated that last Wednesday, its fighters carried out a complex ambush against an Israeli force in the al-Bar’asi area south of al-Zaytoun. The ambush involved shelling an occupation unit barricaded inside a house with a TBG anti-structure grenade, followed by machine-gun fire directed at an Israeli sniper stationed inside another building.
Al-Qassam also confirmed that on Saturday its fighters struck yet another Zionist Merkava tank with an al-Yasin 105 shell near Dawla Junction, south of al-Zaytoun.
Analysis
The developments in al-Zaytoun highlight a new phase of confrontation:
- Hamas has shifted from reactive defence to structured, offensive ambushes, relying on precision weaponry like the locally developed al-Yasin shells.
- The Israeli military’s heavy reliance on brigades and armour underscores its struggle to impose control in densely populated urban areas, where Palestinian resistance thrives through mobility, concealment, and familiarity with the terrain.
This evolving battlefield demonstrates once again the resilience of the Palestinian resistance in Gaza, as Hamas adapts its strategies against one of the most technologically advanced militaries in the world.
