Israeli Media Rue Al-Qassam Footage, Alarmed by Fighters among Troops

According to Saednews, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth on Friday called the footage released by Hamas’ al-Qassam Brigades, showing an ambush on Israeli troops and military vehicles east of Khan Younis, a "new scandal".

The report said this marks the second time in just one month that Israeli soldiers have been left vulnerable, with no proper fire cover or protection, at extremely close range, and no backup forces detected nearby during the operation.

The newspaper emphasized what it deemed a recurring field security failure, as the footage revealed the al-Qassam fighters openly maneuvering in daylight near military vehicles engaged in demolition operations while Israeli soldiers and their weapons remained unprotected. This mirrored the earlier "Puma" armored carrier incident that left seven engineering unit troops dead.

The newspaper reacted furiously, demanding, "How can they leave an engineering vehicle completely unprotected? An RPG could destroy it from this distance. Where are the safety protocols?" The report slammed the incident as demonstrating "gross leadership failures and a shocking indifference toward troop safety."

The report also pointed to a concerning development, revealing that the army has had to supplement its forces with rented civilian vehicles and bulldozers from military contractors. This stopgap measure comes as the military's armored vehicles have been steadily degraded since the start of the war on Gaza in October 2023, leaving troops with alarmingly few protected transport options.

Hamas' armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, yesterday published combat footage from its series of Operation David's Stones showing fighters attacking an Israeli military convoy in eastern Khan Younis' al-Aabasan area, Almayadeen reported.

The video captures strikes against troops and heavy machinery, including bulldozers and combat engineering vehicles operating in the southern Gaza Strip.

The footage also captures a close-quarters daytime engagement that shows an Israeli soldier fleeing the battlefield amid a complete absence of covering fire from other Israeli forces, while the al-Qassam fighters attempted to capture the soldier before ultimately killing him and seizing his weapon.