GAZA CITY (Dispatches) – 
Intense clashes broke out late Friday in Gaza City’s Al-Zaytoun neighborhood as Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, launched a series of ambushes targeting Israeli forces. At least one Israeli soldier was killed and 11 others were injured, with four soldiers reported missing.
Israeli media outlets confirmed the casualties. Channel i24 described the fighting as one of the most intense since the start of the war on October 7, 2023. The Israeli military imposed a publication ban, but local reports suggest Israeli forces launched an extensive search operation, fearing some of the missing soldiers may have been captured by Hamas fighters.
The ambushes occurred as part of Hamas’ ongoing resistance to Israel’s campaign to occupy Gaza City. Qassam Brigades spokesperson Abu Obaida warned that any attempts to occupy the city would be catastrophic for Israel’s military and political leadership, while increasing the risk of soldier captures.
According to the Jerusalem Post, the violence began when an explosive device struck a Namer armored personnel vehicle (APV) in Al-Zaytoun, wounding seven Israeli soldiers. Palestinian reports indicated heavy nighttime clashes between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters in the neighborhood. In addition to the bomb targeting the Namer vehicle, Qassam fighters launched two other ambushes, reportedly killing one soldier and injuring several others.
Shaiel Ben-Ephraim, an Israeli academic, stated that Hamas had deliberately kept a low profile for weeks in order to conserve firepower for this operation. According to Ben-Ephraim, the resistance’s ambushes were part of a larger strategy to weaken Israeli forces in the region.
The Israeli military has yet to confirm the details of the clashes, but social media reports suggest 
that helicopters were dispatched to provide air support to the ground forces. This has led to speculation that the Israeli army activated the controversial “Hannibal Protocol,” a doctrine which authorizes the use of overwhelming force to prevent soldiers from being captured, even at the risk of their own deaths.
In a statement on Telegram, the Qassam Brigades vowed to continue their fight, writing, “We remind those who forget... death or capture.” The spokesperson for the group also declared that Israeli soldiers in Gaza would face the same dangers as Palestinian fighters, and warned that any Israeli prisoners would be publicly identified in the event of their deaths.
The developments are part of Israel’s broader Operation Gideon 2, which began in August 2023, aimed at occupying Gaza City. As part of this operation, Israeli forces have faced mounting resistance in neighborhoods like Al-Zaytoun and Sabra, where intense bombardments have been carried out for weeks.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s civilian population continues to suffer under the ongoing Israeli assault, which has killed over 63,000 Palestinians since the war’s escalation in October 2023. The destruction of Gaza City is widespread, with neighborhoods like Al-Zaytoun reduced to rubble, as reported by satellite imagery analyzed by the New York Times.
Israeli forces have been accused of targeting civilian areas in an attempt to force Palestinians to flee, leaving Gaza in a state of devastation. Local residents expressed despair, with one resident of an adjacent neighborhood, Fadl al-Saifi, saying, “It’s enormous... it’s heartbreaking to see your friends’ homes in ruins.”
As Israeli forces continue their aggression, Hamas remains steadfast in its resolve, signaling that the battle for Gaza City is far from over.