How did the deadly Hamas Ambush in Khan Younis unfold?
Shafaq News – Khan Younis
The al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas Movement, released video footage on Wednesday showing what it described as a complex ambush targeting Israeli forces near the Ali bin Abi Talib Mosque in the Ma'an area, south of Khan Younis.
The operation resulted in the deaths of seven Israeli soldiers, including an officer, and injured several others, according to Israeli military confirmation.
The footage, filmed in broad daylight, showed al-Qassam fighters approaching two Israeli Puma armored personnel carriers and placing explosive devices on them at close range. One fighter, notably wearing sandals, climbed atop a vehicle and threw a 'Shawaz' explosive directly into the command cabin, causing a fire that fully engulfed the vehicle. A second fighter detonated another explosive on the adjacent APC, resulting in near-simultaneous explosions.
Despite intense gunfire in the area, both fighters withdrew safely after the attack, capturing images of the vehicles ablaze. One fighter, in the video, vowed to return for further operations.
The Israeli military struggled to extinguish the fires, eventually deploying bulldozers to cover one of the burning vehicles with sand. The APCs were later towed—still aflame—from Khan Younis through Salah al-Din Street and out of Gaza. All seven soldiers inside were confirmed dead by the time the wreckage crossed into Israeli territory.
The attack marks one of the deadliest incidents for Israeli forces in recent weeks. Helicopters were dispatched for rescue operations, but no survivors were found.
On the political front, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the day as 'extremely difficult for Israel,' expressing grief over the loss of the soldiers. President Isaac Herzog called it a 'painful morning.'
Meanwhile, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for opening the 'gates of hell' against all enemies, while opposition figure Yair Golan advocated for a comprehensive political and regional agreement to end the war, recover hostages, and establish long-term security alternatives to Hamas.
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