The Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas resistance group, on Tuesday claimed responsibility for the killing of five Israeli soldiers on July 7.

Abu Obaida, spokesman for Qassam Brigades, said that the “complex Beit Hanoon operation” carried out by fighters on Monday constitutes "an additional blow to the fragile prestige of the Israeli army," threatening to "capture more soldiers" later.

"Although the Israeli army miraculously succeeded in rescuing its soldiers from hell, it may fail to do so later, resulting in additional prisoners in our hands,” the spokesman added.

He said, “The steadfastness of the Palestinians and the valiance of the resistance are shaping the contours of the next phase,” adding that the "most foolish decision that (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu can make would be to keep his forces inside Gaza”.

Israeli Army Radio reported that the incident occurred when a foot patrol from the Netzah Yehuda Battalion was crossing the town of Beit Hanoon.

"While evacuating the injured from the explosion site, armed ‘militants’ fired from an ambush towards the rescue forces, resulting in more casualties, ”the broadcaster said.

Israel has bombed and destroyed almost all of Gaza, killing more than 57,000 people, most of them civilians. Despite leaving the Palestinian enclave in ruins of concrete and twisted steel rebars, resistance fighters have managed to stage counterattacks on Israeli troops on the ground.

Israel claims to have killed thousands of Hamas fighters. But rights activists have serious reservations with Tel Aviv’s count since the Israeli military has frequently killed unarmed men under the pretext of targeting fighters.

On June 6, four Israeli soldiers were killed and five others wounded in an explosion at a building in the Bani Suheila neighbourhood of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

Seven Israeli soldiers were killed on June 25 in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis when their armoured vehicle was struck by an explosive, Tel Aviv said.

According to Israeli army data, the number of soldiers killed since the start of the Gaza war has risen to 888, including 444 who were killed during the ground invasion, which began on October 27, 2023.

​​​​​​​At least 6,060 soldiers have also been wounded, including 2,768 during the ground offensive.