Hamas Executes Tactical Shift as Zionist Casualties Mount

The shift in strategy is marked by an intensifying series of resistance operations, characterized by the deployment of explosive devices against Israeli armored vehicles, targeting of elite units like the Golani Brigade within structures, and orchestrating numerous ambushes, according to Palestinian military analyst Rami Abu Zubaydah on Friday.

An analyst highlighted that these operations took place deep inside Rafah, rather than on its periphery, challenging the Israeli narrative concerning control over the southern Gaza Strip.

Abu Zubaydah highlighted the significance of the timing and location of the operations, noting that Rafah, a critical crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, has recently emerged as a key target of Israeli aggression.

In other parts of his statement, Abu Zubaydah asserted that the resistance is “fully capable of maneuvering and striking Israeli forces” throughout the blockaded region.

Hours earlier, Hamas announced that its forces had executed an ambush on a 12-member Israeli unit within a house in the Tanur neighborhood of eastern Rafah. The attack, employing both anti-personnel and anti-armor rockets, resulted in multiple casualties among the soldiers.

In response to the recent incident, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the killing of soldiers in Gaza as a “painful event.”

Hamas’s military arm, the Qassam Brigades, has unveiled new video evidence depicting a lethal attack on Israeli troops in Rafah. The footage highlights intense close-range combat and the strategic use of tunnel warfare methods.

The confrontation commenced as a group of combatants emerged from the exit of a tunnel rigged with explosives, engaging with the stationed occupation forces at the site.

A field commander from the Al-Qassam Brigades announced that the group’s leadership has approved the initiation of “Gates of Hell” operations, which include ambushes throughout the alleys and streets of Rafah.

He observed that the resistance fighters had carefully analyzed the actions of the occupying forces in the Mouraq axis region and subsequently determined the designated area for engagement.

The Israeli Defense Forces announced on Friday that two additional soldiers were killed in clashes with Hamas operatives. The confrontation, which took place in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, also resulted in injuries to four other soldiers.

The recent fatalities have increased the total count of Israeli military casualties to 856 since the onset of Israel’s conflict in the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7, 2023, as reported by the army.

Analysts indicate that the operations demonstrate the resilience and determination of the resistance group, persisting robustly over 19 months since the initiation of Israel’s air and ground offensive in Gaza.

Earlier this month, Israel announced plans to intensify its military operations throughout the blockaded Palestinian region.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a plan that would result in the relocation of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to the southern region of Gaza.

Israel has intensified its ground operations in Gaza, aiming to capture a significant section of the Palestinian region.

In the continuing conflict, reports indicate that airstrikes in Gaza City, attributed to US-Israeli operations, have resulted in the deaths of at least 30 individuals in a busy market area.

Numerous individuals who sustained injuries in the attack were transported to the nearby al-Shifa Hospital for medical treatment.

In a tragic development, civil defense teams have recovered the remains of a 3-month-old infant from beneath the debris following a recent bombardment.

The Gaza Health Ministry reports that since October 2023, the death toll has approached 52,800, with a significant number being women and children.