Palestinian freedom fighters continue to confront the Israeli occupation and defend the people of Gaza against "Israel's" aggression, said Tuesday Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement.

The Palestinian Resistance fighters, Abu Obeida revealed, "engaged in fierce confrontations on every point of contact" with the Israeli occupation forces.

"We have put into service IEDs that are used point blank against tanks," which is a precedent, the al-Qassam spokesperson revealed.

The Israeli occupation "is attempting to forcefully displace our people and cause paramount damage in a bid to polish its image," Abu Obeida said, though he pledged that Gaza would be the graveyard of the Israeli occupation and that the Resistance would continue engaging in defensive operations, revealing that it still has many tricks up its sleeve.

Al-Qassam Brigades have thus far destroyed 22 Israeli military vehicles using Yassine-105 anti-tank RPGs, he said. "Our Resistance fighters infiltrated behind enemy lines and managed to confront the forces from behind, scoring numerous casualties.

Furthermore, Abu Obeida addressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his military leadership, stating: "We assure Netanyahu and his commanders that they will kneel at the end of this battle, and the Gaza war will mark its political conclusion."

"We still view this battle as the first step in the liberation and cleansing of the occupied territories," he said.

Additionally, the naval forces of Hamas successfully conducted attacks on naval targets using the guided Al-Assef torpedo, which was put into service during Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.

Al-Assef torpedo was just unveiled by #AbuObeida, the spokesperson for Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas resistance movement.#Palestine pic.twitter.com/g210jzvl3W

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 31, 2023

The military spokesperson for Hamas denied that the Israeli occupation had captured any prisoners from those captured by al-Qassam Brigades, emphasizing that if Netanyahu boasts today of allegedly having liberated one prisoner: "it will take him 20 years to free the remaining captives."

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Regarding the issue of foreign nationals held by the resistance, the military spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigades stated that they have informed the mediators of their intention to release several foreigners in the coming days.

Finally, Abu Obeida called on every honorable soldier and fighter in the Ummah "to seize the opportunity and participate in this battle", pledging that their efforts would be crowned with victory and honor.

IOF aiming for less

This comes after the Financial Times reported on Monday the Israeli occupation's initial incursion into Gaza might have more pragmatic objectives than previously anticipated.

According to the US outlet, the limited scope of the operation could go back to the Israeli occupation seeking goals less ambitious than toppling Hamas.

The Israeli occupation responded to the Palestinian Resistance attacks on October 7 with the largest mobilization, popularizing the belief that "Israel" sought to invade Gaza and not leave one stone unturned. However, as the Israeli occupation's tanks and forces entered Gaza at the end of the week, the invasion was not so much of an invasion as it was an incursion with limited capabilities.

Incumbent and former officials cited in the report explained that the seemingly limited scope of this initial Israeli incursion reflects a complex mix of factors: the occupation's primary aim is to maximize its firepower advantage over Hamas while minimizing the losses while also being cautious not to get involved in a broader conflict that could get other adversaries involved.

From a tactical perspective, the smaller footprint of the incursion allows for ground forces to receive close air support easily, which is crucial for entering parts of northern Gaza, according to insiders familiar with Israeli battle plans.

The Israeli occupation forces have been referring to the escalation in the Gaza Strip as "ground operations", and the change of mind in terms of terminology seems to go hand in hand with what experts are saying.

The diplomat added that the IOF's short-to-medium-term goal is to destroy military infrastructure and eliminate Hamas' leadership, though they did not clarify their end goal due, possibly, to the lack of one.

Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that some 5,000 US military forces are engaging in the "expanded" Israeli "ground operation" launched in Gaza on Friday night, adding that the operation involved three divisions and several brigades. 

Earlier, Tasnim reported that the US military commanders took charge of the situation in the Israeli army after the Israeli leaders lost all faith in the abilities of their personnel following the humiliating defeat in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.

While the Gaza Strip experienced on Friday the heaviest bombardment since the beginning of Israeli aggression 22 days ago, the Israeli army attempted to enter the Gaza Strip from several fronts, including al-Bureij, Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, and north of Khan Yunis. Their strategic goal was to split the Gaza Strip into two or three sections and cut off all means of communication in the area before launching the "next stage of the war."