The al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, announced on Wednesday that its fighters had detonated an explosive device against Israeli forces in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday evening.

In a statement, the al-Qassam said its fighters detonated three bombs targeting an Israeli military vehicle convoy in the southern al-Batin as-Sameen area, located south of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, resulting in the killing and injury of an unspecified number of Israeli soldiers.

On Saturday, July 26, the al-Qassam Brigades announced that they had carried out a complex ambush targeting three Israeli troop carriers east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.

The brigades stated in their announcement that their fighters successfully detonated two troop carriers using pre-planted improvised explosive devices in the vehicles' cabins, destroying both carriers and their crews.

The statement confirmed that the al-Qassam fighters later observed an Israeli military excavator attempting to bury the burning troop carriers to extinguish the flames, while Israeli helicopters landed at the scene to evacuate personnel from the area.

18,500+ IOF troops wounded, PTSD cripples soldiers

According to a July 27 report by Yedioth Ahronoth, the number of wounded Israeli soldiers since October 7, 2023, has exceeded 18,500, with thousands experiencing severe psychological trauma, and projections indicate that the total number of wounded may rise to 100,000 by 2028.

The report, citing data from the Israeli Ministry of Security, highlights that a significant number of these soldiers have not only left military service but have also withdrawn from the labor market, a trend that suggests wider repercussions for both the Israeli economy and society.

The report cautions that close to half of the soldiers projected to be wounded in the coming years will struggle with mental health conditions, especially post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a surge in cases that has prompted an urgent reevaluation of mental health infrastructure, funding allocations, and therapeutic approaches.

Yedioth Ahronoth reported that initial projections for 2030 are now expected to materialize by 2028 because of the dramatic increase in psychological cases, a shift that has forced authorities to accelerate and adjust their healthcare planning in response to the escalating crisis.