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On December 29, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas Movement, released a video documenting recent clashes with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in Gaza City’s al-Tufah and al-Darj neighborhoods in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
The video shows Hamas fighters damaging or destroying several main battle tanks and armored personnel carriers (APCs) from point blank with rocket-propelled grenades.
The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades said that 20 different vehicles of the IDF were targeted in al-Tufah and al-Darj in the last 48 hours. Two tanks were also targeted in the city of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.
In addition, an Israeli infantry force backed by tanks was ambushed with explosive devices in the al-Burij refugee camp in the central part of the Strip. An armored bulldozer was also targeted there with a rocket-propelled grenade.
Two more videos released by the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades on December 29 and 30 showed rocket attacks at Israeli settlements near Gaza and mortar attacks on IDF troops within the Strip.
Furthermore, videos showing two Skylark-2 reconnaissance drones which were shot down by Hamas fighters were also shared on December 29 and 30.
Three tanks and two APCs of the IDF were damaged or destroyed in al-Burij during clashes on December 30, according to the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
The al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, also released a video on December 30 showing recent rocket and mortar attacks against gatherings and positions of the IDF.
After occupying large parts of northern Gaza and making some gains within Khan Yunis in the south, the IDF now expanded its ground operations in the central part of the Strip. Hamas and other factions continue to show fierce resistance.
So far, Israel has admitted losing 168 troops during ground operations in Gaza. Hundreds others were wounded. Hamas claims over 800 vehicles of the IDF were also damaged or destroyed.
