New Terror Tactic
Guerrilla Ambush in Gaza City: Five Israeli Officers and Soldiers Severely Wounded in IED and Gunfire Attacks
Five Israeli officers and soldiers were severely injured after Hamas militants attached IEDs to a tank and opened fire at close range, underscoring the relentless danger of the urban war in Gaza City.
A deadly series of close-quarters engagements in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday resulted in the severe wounding of five Israeli soldiers and officers, with an additional six soldiers sustaining light injuries. The troops, primarily from the 82nd Battalion of the "S'ar MeGolan" (7th) Brigade and operating under the Kfir Brigade, were struck by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and small-arms fire during a Hamas guerrilla raid near Gaza City.
The injured include a medical officer, a tank officer, and three armored corps fighters. All were evacuated to a hospital for urgent medical attention, and their families have been notified.
The most serious incident, reported around 5:25 PM local time, involved a swift, short-range ambush. Several Hamas terrorists managed to breach a defensive position, or "mignan," and attached two IEDs directly to a tank. In a separate, face-to-face encounter, militants opened fire with light weapons. The five severely wounded personnel were injured as a result of these two simultaneous clashes against a total of five assailants.
The Israeli forces engaged the attackers immediately. At least two of the terrorists were eliminated near the defensive position: one was killed by a tank shell, and another was neutralized in the close-quarters fight against the battalion's troops. A manhunt for the three remaining terrorists is ongoing. In addition to the five severely wounded, six other soldiers sustained minor injuries and were also transported to the hospital.
The Kfir Brigade has been actively operating in the Gaza City area in recent weeks, facing tenacious resistance. This type of close-range guerrilla warfare highlights the persistent danger to ground forces even in areas that have seen prolonged military operations.
This incident follows a previous loss suffered by Israeli forces last Thursday. Staff Sergeant Chaltza'u Shimon Damlash, 21, from Be'er Sheva, a fighter in the 932nd Battalion of the Nahal Brigade, was killed after being struck by Hamas sniper fire in Gaza City. Damlash was shot while standing guard at a defensive position, sustaining critical injuries from which he later succumbed. These recent casualties underscore the intense and high-risk nature of the urban war.