The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, released new footage on Tuesday documenting 107 days of fighting in the northern Gaza Strip, revealing a series of ambushes targeting Israeli troops and military vehicles during a confrontation the group says transformed the so-called “Generals’ Plan” into a prolonged war of attrition.
The video, titled “The Battle of 107 Days: When the Generals’ Plan Became a Graveyard of Steel”, was released as Palestinians marked the third anniversary of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. It contains footage which al-Qassam said documents part of the fighting that took place across northern Gaza.
According to the video, the battle began on 5 October 2024 and continued until 18 January 2025, becoming one of the most prominent phases of Israeli military operations in the northern Gaza Strip.
The fighting unfolded within the context of what became known as the “Generals’ Plan”, a proposal centred on taking control of northern Gaza by forcing residents southwards, imposing a siege on those remaining in the north and preventing the entry of supplies and humanitarian aid, including food, water and fuel, in order to increase pressure on the population and compel them to leave.
Explosive Ambushes and Attacks on Israeli Armour
The video documented a series of ambushes targeting Israeli military vehicles. The footage showed fighters using explosive devices that al-Qassam said were locally manufactured, including Shawaz and “Fedayeen Action” explosives, which were planted along routes used by advancing Israeli forces.
The footage also showed attacks against Merkava tanks and Namer armoured personnel carriers, alongside the use of Yassin 105 anti-armour projectiles and close-range engagements.
Other scenes showed fighters moving through a network of tunnels before emerging to attack Israeli troops, in an effort to disrupt their advance through built-up areas and narrow streets.
The operations were not limited to military vehicles. The footage also showed attacks on Israeli troops, including units belonging to elite brigades.
Among the most prominent incidents was an ambush in Jabalia that resulted in the killing of Colonel Ehsan Daqsa, commander of Israel’s 401st Brigade.
‘We Will Fight Until the Last Moment’
Another section of the video showed Izz al-Din al-Beik, commander of al-Qassam’s Northern Brigade, among fighters speaking about continuing the battle despite the siege.
Al-Beik said in the recording that 85 days of siege had passed while supply lines remained operational, stressing that the fighters would continue fighting “in the path of Allah until the last moment”.
“By Allah, we will either defeat them, by Allah’s permission, or be martyred in the path of Allah,” he said.
On 29 September 2026, the al-Qassam Brigades announced the martyrdom of al-Beik, who had been serving as commander of its Northern Brigade, in what the group described as an Israeli assassination operation.
Footage Draws Widespread Reaction
The documentary footage generated widespread interaction across social media platforms, with activists circulating scenes documenting parts of the fighting in northern Gaza and focusing particularly on the ambushes, attacks on military vehicles and close-range engagements.
Users also discussed details of the battle that began on 5 October 2024, saying Israeli forces had tightened their siege around Jabalia refugee camp from all four directions as part of movements associated with the “Generals’ Plan”.
According to those accounts, the plan sought to eliminate resistance formations in northern Gaza, displace the population and establish Israeli control over the area.
Activists, citing the account presented in the video, said al-Beik issued operational orders to confront the plan, directing military formations and their commanders to remain in place and continue fighting until the end. Residents of northern Gaza likewise chose to remain and endure the assault, according to the same account.
The fighting continued until 18 January 2025. Activists said Israeli forces failed to eliminate the Northern Brigade’s formations or establish full control over the area, while a number of Palestinian fighters were martyred during the battles.
According to the al-Qassam Brigades, the video also contained previously unreleased footage of operations carried out by fighters from the Northern Brigade against Israeli forces.
The footage prompted extensive commentary, with one user writing: “By Allah… extraordinary scenes from the Northern Brigade’s operations against enemy forces while confronting the Generals’ Plan.”
Other activists focused on the intensity of the fighting documented in the footage, while some described the scenes as reflecting the nature of the battle waged by al-Qassam fighters during that period.
One user described the footage as “all honour and pride”.
Others encouraged people to watch the video, saying it presented new scenes from the confrontations in northern Gaza, particularly the ambushes, close-range engagements and attacks on military vehicles.
What Was the ‘Generals’ Plan’?
The “Generals’ Plan” originated from a proposal put forward by retired Israeli general Giora Eiland in September 2024.
The proposal called for the evacuation of residents from northern Gaza, the declaration of the area as a closed military zone and the imposition of a siege that would include preventing food, fuel and water from entering.
The plan received support from a number of retired Israeli military officers, according to Israeli sources and press reports.
As publicly presented, the proposal consisted of two stages. The first involved evacuating the remaining population of northern Gaza. The second called for turning the area into a closed military zone and imposing a siege on anyone who refused to leave, while isolating northern Gaza from the rest of the Strip.
Implementation Begins Without Formal Adoption
Although the Israeli government never formally announced that it had adopted the “Generals’ Plan”, evacuation orders were issued on 7 October 2024 to residents of several areas in northern Gaza, including Jabalia, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia.
Two days later, the Israeli military launched a major assault on Jabalia refugee camp while simultaneously issuing evacuation orders to several hospitals in the area.
Eiland had already called in August 2024 for the imposition of a comprehensive siege on northern Gaza, arguing that such a measure could increase pressure on Hamas and force it to surrender.
The proposal later became widely known in the media as the “Generals’ Plan”.
