Son of Israeli ex-chief of staff killed in Gaza in staged tunnel op.
6 Min Read
Multiple Resistance factions have announced that their fighters completely destroyed Israeli armored vehicles, including a Merkava tank, confirming that several caught fire during confrontations.
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A security camera planted by an al-Qassam Brigade fighter in a building in Beit Hanoun captures the moment that an Israeli occupation force reached a booby-trapped tunnel, in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, on November 11, 2023. (Al-Qassam Brigades/Military media)
As "Israel" drowns further into its aggression on the Gaza Strip, opening new fronts in the southern and central Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Resistance continues to conduct operations, adding to its exemplary performance since October 7.
On the eighth day of confrontations since the resumption of the Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian Resistance factions have announced a flurry of successful operations against Israeli occupation forces.
Headlining these operations was an ambush on Thursday evening, which saw the killing of Israeli forces that included paratroopers from the 551st Brigade’s 699th Battalion. The 669th Battalion is a Special Tactics Rescue Unit in the IOF, whose soldiers receive advanced tactical infiltration and urban warfare training.
Following the Israeli military's announcement of the killing of Master Sergeant Gal Meer Eizenkot, the son of Gadi Eizenkot who is the former Israeli Chief of Staff and a current minister, on Thursday, al-Qassam Brigades announced their responsibility for the operation that led to Eizenkot's death.
Hamas' military wing said its fighters booby-trapped the opening of a tunnel in Tal al-Zaatar, in the northern Gaza Strip, with an explosive device. The Resistance faction said the device was detonated among a group of Israeli soldiers who arrived at the site, killing and injuring several Israeli soldiers, including Eizenkot.
Israeli media outlets also reported on the killing of Maor Cohen, the nephew of Gadi Eizenkot.
Read more: IOF says one soldier killed with Apache 'friendly fire' in Gaza
Resistance factions obliterate Israeli infantry forces
After the expiration of the truce on December 1, the Resistance adapted its confrontation strategies, including, in greater frequencies, the use of Improvised Explosive Devices, Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs), and short-range multiple rocket launchers (MLRs).
In this context, al-Qassam Brigades announced on multiple occasions the targeting of invading forces with short-range 114 mm MLRs "Rajoum" and mortars. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad's al-Quds Brigades also announced the firing of mortars and rockets toward Israeli occupation forces inside the Gaza Strip and outside the area in the Gaza Envelope.
These actions supplement the role of Resistance fighters who engage Israeli forces from point-blank range within Gaza's neighborhoods.
Al-Qassam foils attempt to liberate captive; two IOF soldiers severely injured, captive killed in Israeli strike
Al-Qassam also revealed that its fighters thwarted an Israeli attempt to free an Israeli soldier who is being held captive in the Gaza Strip. In detail, the Resistance faction said its fighters discovered the special Israeli forces, confronting it and wounding two of its members.
The Israeli army admitted that two soldiers were "severely injured" in an attempted rescue operation overnight in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, the army said two "soldiers were severely injured during an operation to rescue hostages held by Hamas."
"No hostages were rescued in this activity," it added.
This led to an Israeli raid on the area, providing the special force with a chance to escape, Hamas said. Sahar Baruch, an Israeli soldier held captive, was killed in the strike.
كتائب القسام تنشر مشاهد لإفشال محاولة إسرائيلية للوصول للجندي الأسير الإسرائيلي "ساعر باروخ" والتي أدت لمقتله وعدد من أفراد القوة المهاجمة.#الميادين #طوفان_الأقصى #فلسطين #كتائب_القسام pic.twitter.com/D3ItbDuUAJ
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) December 8, 2023
Read more: Israeli military forcing hospitals to cover losses: Israeli media
A list of Resistance's ground operations
Al-Qassam Brigades
Khan Younis
- In its first announced operation, the Brigades said its fighters launched thermobaric charges at a school in northern Khan Younis, which occupation forces had reappropriated to serve them as a base. Resistance forces then charged toward the school engaging Israeli soldiers from point-blank range, killing and injuring several soldiers.
- Later, Resistance fighters targeted a grouping of Israeli soldiers with an anti-personnel charge, confirming casualties among enemy lines.
- Fighters also launched a 105 mm al-Yassin rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) at an Israeli armored personnel carrier (APC) to the north of the city of Khan Younis.
- The Brigades then announced the complete destruction of an Israeli APC after fighters targeted it with a Shawaz EFP, setting it ablaze.
- The Resistance also targeted three Israeli armored vehicles with al-Yassin charges.
Al-Shujaiya
- In the famed neighborhood of al-Shujaiya, the Resistance announced that it targeted nine Israeli occupation armored vehicles with al-Yassin charges and IEDs, confirming that several were completely destroyed and caught fire in the Gazan neighborhood.
كتائب القسام تنشر مشاهد من التحام مجاهديها مع آليات العدو المتوغلة في محاور مدينة #غزة.#الميادين #طوفان_الأقصى pic.twitter.com/f7pEnlp2jL
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) December 8, 2023
Al-Sheikh Radwan and al-Zeitoun
- In al-Sheikh Radwan, Gaza, al-Qassam fighters launched an imported tandem RPG charge at an Israeli military jeep.
- The Resistance also detonated an anti-personnel IED, targeting an Israeli infantry force in al-Zeitoun neighborhood.
- In total, the Resistance targeted six Israeli armored vehicles in these axes.
Al-Quds Brigades
Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah
- The Resistance faction announced that its fighters are engaged in fierce confrontations in the Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah axes, located in the southern and central Gaza Strip respectively.
Gaza City
- In al-Shujaiya, the group announced that it targeted an Israeli occupation armored vehicle with an imported tandem RPG.
- The Resistance faction also announced that its fighter destroyed an Israeli Merkava tank with a Thaqed IED and targeted two Israeli vehicles with tandem RPGs in al-Sheikh Radwan neighborhood.
- In al-Nasser neighborhood, al-Quds Brigades fighters targeted an Israeli force taking position in a building, charging its position and confronting the force from point-blank range, killing and injuring members of the force.
"ولّعت ولّعت"...✌
— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) December 8, 2023
أحد مُقاتلي سرايا القدس يقفز فرحاً بتدمير دبابة إسرائيلية في غزة.#الميادين #طوفان_الأقصى #سرايا_القدس pic.twitter.com/rBm75VojQd
DFLP
The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine's National Resistance Brigades announced that its fighters confronted Israeli occupation forces at Salah al-Din Street, which connects major cities of the Gaza Strip. The DFLP fighters engaged the force at a point to the northeast of the city of Khan Younis, confirming casualties among enemy soldiers.
Read more: Gaza's homegrown weapons: How Hamas, PIJ left 'Israel' in shambles
