Gaza City — At least 16 Israeli soldiers were killed in fierce fighting in central Gaza over the past 48 hours, according to a statement released by the military wing of Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades. The group claims responsibility for ambushing an elite Israeli unit in the Jabalia area using anti-tank missiles and explosive traps, escalating an already deadly phase of the ongoing conflict.
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have acknowledged “multiple casualties” but have yet to confirm the full death toll. Local reports and footage circulated on social media appear to corroborate the scale of the incident, with scenes of smoke, debris, and destroyed armored vehicles visible near the Al-Tuffah neighborhood.
The Ambush
According to the Al-Qassam Brigades, their fighters lured Israeli troops into a densely packed urban block rigged with explosives. Once the Israeli infantry entered, several anti-armor missiles were fired at their convoy, followed by intense gunfire and detonations of pre-planted IEDs.
A spokesperson for the brigades said the operation was a “response to the massacres of our civilians, especially children,” and that “Israeli soldiers are no longer safe in any corner of Gaza.”
Israeli Military Response
The IDF has launched heavy retaliatory strikes following the ambush, targeting several locations in and around Gaza City. At least 23 Palestinians, including women and children, were reportedly killed in overnight airstrikes, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to “intensify operations” and said that “no act of terror will go unanswered.”
The Israeli military has increased drone surveillance and artillery shelling in central Gaza as part of what they call “clearing operations.” Eyewitnesses in Jabalia described non-stop shelling for more than 10 hours.
A Grim Escalation
The ambush is one of the deadliest single attacks on Israeli forces since the ground incursion into Gaza began months ago. More than 300 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the latest offensive began, marking one of the highest tolls in decades of Israeli military operations.
Palestinian casualties have surpassed 38,000, with tens of thousands wounded and much of the Gaza Strip reduced to rubble. The humanitarian situation has become catastrophic, with food, medicine, and fuel running out, and international aid severely restricted.
International Reaction
The United Nations called for an immediate ceasefire, warning that both sides are “descending into a total collapse of human rights.” Meanwhile, several Western governments continue to back Israel’s right to “defend itself,” while others have grown increasingly critical of its bombardment of civilian areas.
Protests have erupted in cities from London to Jakarta, condemning the rising death toll and demanding an end to arms shipments fueling the war.
Conclusion
The killing of 16 Israeli soldiers by the Al-Qassam Brigades marks a critical and bloody turn in the war. As both sides dig deeper into positions of total war, the cost is borne not only by the fighters — but by civilians caught in the middle of a conflict the world has failed to stop.
