Al-Qassam Brigades Target Five ’Israeli’ Tanks, Helicopter Amid Gaza Bombardment

In a statement, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades reported targeting a Merkava tank with an explosive device in the al-Saftawi area near Jabalia refugee camp.

A subsequent statement confirmed that four additional tanks were targeted with explosive devices in eastern Jabalia.

The group later claimed its fighters hit an "Israeli" Apache helicopter with a SAM rocket in the east of al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza. The "Israeli" army has yet to respond to these claims.

Recent "Israeli" media reports, including from The Jerusalem Post, questioned the entity’s assertions of nearing victory in Gaza.

The reports estimate that 20,000 to 23,000 resistance fighters remain active, including members of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other local groups. "

Hamas is making a substantial comeback by recruiting new forces," The Jerusalem Post noted on Thursday, casting doubt on the "Israeli" narrative of progress.

Resistance fighters have continued rocket launches from Gaza. On Friday, the "Israeli" military reported three rockets fired, one of which triggered alarms near Beeri, opposite central Gaza. These launches have escalated as "Israel" persists in its major land and air campaign in northern Gaza.

According to Gaza’s civil defense agency, "Israeli" strikes killed around 30 people on Friday, including several children. Seven fatalities occurred in the Shuja’iyya neighborhood of Gaza City. Civil defense spokesperson Mahmud Bassal highlighted dire conditions at the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia, reporting that "Israeli" forces were blocking food and water supplies. The hospital, described as "just a pile of rubble," has sent out repeated distress calls.

Indirect negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, are set to resume. These talks have yet to produce an agreement, with a major sticking point being "Israel's" refusal to agree to a lasting ceasefire. The nearly 15-month "Israeli" war on Gaza has left widespread destruction and suffering, with no resolution in sight.