The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth revealed details of recent clashes between Palestinian resistance fighters and Israeli occupation forces in Al-Zaytoun neighbourhood, southeast of Gaza City.
According to the paper, fighters from Hamas’s Al-Qassam Brigades targeted the deputy commander of an Israeli armoured battalion in Al-Zaytoun a few days ago, injuring him. The report added that Al-Qassam fighters also ambushed another Israeli armoured unit in the same area, though the paper withheld details about the casualties suffered.
Military sources quoted in the paper confirmed that Hamas fighters in Al-Zaytoun are constantly attacking temporary Israeli military positions.
Mastery of IEDs and Tunnel Warfare
The sources said Israeli forces in Al-Zaytoun were “surprised” by the skill of Hamas fighters in planting and detonating improvised explosive devices (IEDs)—a factor that has contributed to the continued success of their operations against Israeli troops in the area.
Israeli soldiers also discovered a tunnel running beneath their positions. According to the sources, Al-Qassam fighters had succeeded in repairing and reactivating the tunnel in recent months, demonstrating their ability to rebuild parts of their military infrastructure despite relentless Israeli airstrikes.
The sources added that the Israeli operation in Al-Zaytoun “may end within two weeks,” though past experiences in Gaza suggest such forecasts are often premature.
Foreign Affairs: Hamas Is Dragging Israel into a War It Cannot Win
Earlier, Foreign Affairs magazine published an article by Leila Stewart, researcher at the Arab Centre for Studies and Research in Paris and author of Hamas’s Foreign Policy: Ideology, Decision-Making, and Political Supremacy.
Stewart argued that the besieged movement in Gaza is dragging Israel deeper into an unwinnable war. Since the beginning of 2025, Hamas fighters have escalated offensive operations across the Gaza Strip. These included:
- A large-scale assault on an Israeli base on 20 August,
- Operations in June and July that killed several Israeli soldiers.
She noted that Hamas has also increased coordination with other factions in Gaza, reinforcing its ranks despite widespread famine and humanitarian catastrophe. According to Stewart, the group’s evolving approach to warfare has magnified the risks of Israel’s campaign, potentially turning its new offensive in Gaza City into both a military and humanitarian disaster.
Ambush Tactics Across the Strip
The article highlighted how Hamas has shifted its battlefield strategy. For example, on 20 April, a small Al-Qassam unit launched an ambush from a tunnel in Beit Hanoun—an area Israel had declared a “buffer zone.” Using rockets and roadside bombs, they overturned an Israeli military vehicle, killing one soldier and injuring several others.
Since then, Hamas fighters have multiplied similar ambushes throughout Gaza, signalling that despite blockade, famine, and relentless bombardment, the resistance remains resilient and adaptive.
Conclusion
The battles in Al-Zaytoun and beyond demonstrate that Israel faces a highly skilled and determined adversary. Al-Qassam’s mastery of guerrilla tactics—from tunnel warfare to precision IEDs—has forced the occupation into costly confrontations.
As Foreign Affairs cautioned, Israel’s attempt to impose full control over Gaza may not only fail militarily but also deepen the humanitarian catastrophe already unfolding. Gaza’s resistance continues to prove that even under siege and famine, its fighters retain the ability to reshape the battlefield.
