Hamas’ armed wing says 3 Israeli armored personnel carriers targeted in southern Gaza with crews inside

ISTANBUL

Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, announced on Saturday evening that its fighters had attacked Israeli forces in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, destroying three armored personnel carriers with their crews inside.

The group said on Telegram that its fighters targeted two Israeli armored personnel carriers with two explosive devices planted inside the command compartments, causing both vehicles to catch fire with their crews inside.

It continued: “Our fighters targeted a third Zionist troop carrier with a ‘Yassin 105’ rocket.”

According to Al-Qassam, the ambush occurred in the Abasan al-Kabira area, east of Khan Younis.

The group also said that its fighters later witnessed the arrival of an Israeli military excavator, which buried the vehicles to extinguish the flames, while a helicopter landed to evacuate.

There has been no immediate comment from the Israeli army regarding the incident.

Israel typically enforces strict censorship on the publication of its military losses in Gaza and refrains from disclosing the full extent of its casualties.

As of Thursday evening, 895 Israeli soldiers had been reported killed and 6,134 injured since the beginning of the war in Gaza, according to military data. The army faces domestic accusations of concealing higher losses.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing over 59,700 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

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