The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas Movement, announced on Wednesday that its fighters killed and wounded several Israeli soldiers after targeting two military vehicles in the city of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip — part of what it described as “resisting the ongoing genocide committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people for two years.”
In a statement seen by Arabi21, the Brigades said that on Tuesday, its fighters targeted two Israeli “Hummer” vehicles with “Yassin 105” anti-armour shells on a supply route for Israeli forces near the Jurat al-Lout Clinic in southern Khan Younis. The attack, it said, resulted in killing and injuring several Israeli soldiers.
The group added that its fighters observed Israeli helicopters landing to evacuate casualties, without providing further operational details.
In a separate statement, Al-Qassam confirmed that it shelled concentrations of Israeli troops and vehicles in the Maqousi area northwest of Gaza City using mortar rounds.
According to the Brigades, these operations come as part of the Palestinian factions’ response to Israel’s renewed attempts to invade Gaza City and forcibly displace its residents, as well as their continued resistance to the genocide that has devastated the enclave since 2023.
Attempt to Capture Soldiers
Meanwhile, Israel’s Channel 12 reported that a group of Palestinian fighters carried out a raid on an Israeli military site in central Gaza and attempted to capture a soldier. The incident occurred near the location recently visited by Israeli Defence Minister Yisrael Katz, who had met there with the commander of the Golani Brigade on Wednesday.
Censorship on Israeli Losses
International human rights and media organisations have reported that Israel imposes strict military censorship on its domestic media regarding the publication of casualty figures and material losses resulting from Palestinian resistance attacks — an effort, analysts say, aimed at preserving internal morale amid mounting battlefield setbacks.
Due to what it calls the “complex combat conditions” in Gaza, the Al-Qassam Brigades said it sometimes delays announcing results of its operations until its fighters safely withdraw and field verification of the attack outcomes is completed.
Admission of Heavy Israeli Losses
Earlier this week, the Israeli Ministry of Defence acknowledged that 1,152 soldiers and police officers have been killed since 7 October 2023, though observers believe the true numbers are significantly higher given Israel’s tight censorship on casualty reporting.
The ministry’s statement said the dead included soldiers, police, Shin Bet agents, special forces personnel, and members of civil defence units engaged in operations in Gaza, Lebanon, and the West Bank.
Channel 12 later detailed that the total included 1,035 soldiers, 100 police officers, nine Shin Bet agents, and eight prison service guards.
However, a separate update posted on the official Israeli army website listed 913 soldiers killed since October 7 — including 466 killed in ground battles inside Gaza since the start of the invasion on 27 October 2023.
The army also confirmed that 6,313 soldiers have been injured since the war began, with 2,952 wounded during ground combat in Gaza.
Ongoing Resistance Operations
Al-Qassam Brigades continue to announce daily operations targeting Israeli forces across Gaza, frequently releasing video footage of its attacks. The group says these operations are inflicting growing human and material losses on the Israeli army.
Backed by direct United States military and political support, the Israeli occupation has continued its war on Gaza since 8 October 2023.
According to the latest Palestinian statistics, the assault has resulted in the martyrdom of 67,183 Palestinians and the injury of 169,841 others, the majority of whom are women and children. The Israeli-imposed siege, which has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis and widespread famine, has also caused the deaths of 460 civilians, including 154 children.
