The spokesperson for Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, stated that the heavy losses suffered by the Israeli occupation in Khan Younis and Jabalia are part of a continuous wave of strategic resistance operations, and a preview of what awaits Zionist forces wherever they invade.
In a post on his official Telegram account, Abu Ubaida declared:
“Our mujahideen — heirs of the Prophets — continue to hurl the stones of Dawud at the chariots of Gideon, striking down the arrogance of the occupation and exposing its fragility. With their courage, they carve the triumph of the oppressed faithful over the tyrannical and arrogant oppressors.”
He added:
“The enemy’s public has only two choices: force their leaders to end this genocidal war—or prepare to receive more of their sons in coffins.”
His statement followed a devastating ambush by the Palestinian resistance earlier Friday morning in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army admitted to the death of four soldiers and the critical injury of an officer during the attack.
The soldiers, according to Israeli reports, belonged to the elite Maglan and Yahalom units, both tasked with tunnel detection and sabotage. They were killed in the Bani Suheila area, east of Khan Younis.
Army Radio confirmed that Israeli forces entered a building in Bani Suheila based on intelligence that Hamas fighters were using it, and that a tunnel network existed inside.
Israeli Prime Minister reacted to the announcement of the casualties by stating:
“It is a sad and difficult day. On behalf of all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I extend our deepest condolences to the families of our four heroes who fell in Gaza during the battle to eliminate Hamas and retrieve our hostages.”He revealed the names of two of the slain soldiers: Sergeant First Class Yoav Reifer and Sergeant First Class Chen Gross.
Hebrew Channel 13 reported that the elite Commando Brigade and Yahalom engineering unit were ordered to inspect the building after receiving intelligence of Hamas activity and a potential tunnel complex.
At 6:05 a.m., just minutes after entering the building, a powerful explosive device detonated, causing the entire structure to collapse over the soldiers.
The blast killed four and injured five, one of them critically and the rest moderately.
Recovery efforts for the bodies continued for several hours under intense artillery fire and aerial bombardment, as Israeli forces struggled to retrieve the dead from beneath the rubble.
Preliminary investigations revealed that all standard military protocols had been followed before entering the building, including the use of drones, police dogs, bulldozers, seismic weapons, and engineering tools designed to detect and detonate explosives. Nevertheless, the resistance fighters had outwitted these measures, concealing the device in a way that evaded detection.
The Maariv newspaper confirmed that the Israeli army spent six consecutive hours trying to recover the remains of its fallen soldiers from beneath the demolished site.
