A fierce attack in southern Gaza has left the region on edge, as Hamas fighters claim to have struck a significant blow against Israeli forces.
On Wednesday last week, the Ezzedine Al Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, said one of its fighters detonated himself in Khan Younis, causing multiple casualties. The Israeli army confirmed three soldiers were injured but denied any fatalities.
The militants didn’t stop there. They reportedly raided a newly established Israeli site south-east of Khan Younis and targeted several Merkava tanks with explosives, an attack described by Hamas as both bold and unprecedented in scale.
The incident comes as Israel gears up to intensify its operations in Gaza, with Defence Minister Israel Katz approving plans to call up 60,000 reservists for a fresh offensive aimed at retaking Gaza City.
According to the Israeli army, more than 15 militants armed with guns and anti-tank missiles tried to breach a fortified position held by the 90th Battalion near Khan Younis. Israeli troops said they “eliminated 10 armed terrorists in close-quarters combat,” supported by air strikes, while the clash reportedly remains ongoing.
A statement from the Israeli army detailed the injuries: “As a result of the shots fired, a soldier in the 90th Battalion, Kfir Brigade, was severely injured, and two additional soldiers were lightly injured.”
Hamas, meanwhile, claimed its fighters stormed houses where Israeli soldiers were stationed, firing six anti-fortification and anti-personnel missiles, alongside machine gun fire. The group said its fighters killed Israeli soldiers inside with light weapons and hand grenades, and even managed to fatally wound a soldier in a Merkava 4 tank.
“One of our fighters blew himself up among Israeli troops, killing or wounding them,” Hamas said, adding that the operation lasted several hours and included mortar attacks to block reinforcements.
Efforts at diplomacy continue. Hamas has accepted a ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar, though Israel has yet to formally respond. The framework suggests a 60-day truce, staggered hostage releases, freeing some Palestinian prisoners, and the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The current conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters stormed into Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 hostages. Since then, Israel’s offensive has claimed over 62,000 Palestinian lives, displaced most of Gaza’s population, and sparked a severe humanitarian crisis.
