Israeli forces attacking the Gaza Strip suffered heavy losses on Sunday after the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, targeted and killed a large number of soldiers at their positioning point east of Juhr al-Dik.
The Pentagon said that Israel risks a strategic defeat in Gaza, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Defense Minister Yoav Galant refused to hold a joint press conference between them.
The Qassam Brigades announced that its fighters attacked a gathering of Israeli occupation forces, causing a large number of deaths. The attack occurred at a positioning point for dozens of occupation soldiers – 60 soldiers – inside tents at a positioning point for them east of Juhr al-Dik, in central Gaza.
Its fighters planted three anti-personnel bombs in a circle around the position, then detonated them with the soldiers, while one of their fighters finished off the remaining members of the force.
The fighters then withdrew to their positions after causing the death of a large number of occupation soldiers.
Hamas also targeted an Israeli squadron holed up in a building in the city of Beit Hanoun with an anti-fortified missile, killing several soldiers.
Two tanks were also targeted with “Al-Yassin 105” shells south of Beit Lahia, in addition to detonating a minefield with a force of eight occupation soldiers, and finishing off those who remained alive from Point Zero northeast of Khan Yunis.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that prisoner exchange negotiations were difficult, and that achieving the goals of the war were not possible without continuing the ground operation, pointing out that there were disagreements with the US administration.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that Israel risks a strategic defeat in Gaza if it does not respond to warnings about the high number of civilian deaths.
He added in a speech before the Reagan National Defense Forum in California: “I personally pressured Israeli leaders to avoid civilian casualties, avoid irresponsible rhetoric, and prevent violence by settlers in the West Bank.”
