GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Palestinian fighters in northern Gaza City’s Shujayea neighborhood have engaged Israeli forces in violent clashes, using anti-tank rockets and small-arms fire to inflict deaths and injuries.
On Friday, the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, claimed responsibility for blowing up a booby-trapped residential building in Shujayea, resulting in the death of four Israeli soldiers and injuries to five others. The fighters utilized an improvised explosive device made from an undetonated F-16 missile obtained intact after being fired from an Israeli warplane.
Meanwhile, Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, reported that their fighters are also involved in ongoing battles, causing casualties through attacks involving anti-tank rockets and small-arms fire. The clashes intensified following heavy air and artillery attacks carried out by Israeli forces in war-torn northern Gaza, which led to the displacement of at least 60,000 Palestinians from Gaza City.
As ground operations supported by air raids continue in northern Gaza, the Israeli army confirmed the deaths of “dozens” of fighters. This escalation comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that the “intense phase” of the conflict may be winding down. Israeli forces have been conducting targeted raids in Shujayea based on intelligence suggesting the presence of terrorists and their infrastructure in the area.
Despite the ongoing conflict, Israel reported significant losses, with at least 668 soldiers killed since October 2023, including more than 300 since the ground invasion of Gaza began. The country also claimed to have killed about 15,000 Palestinian fighters during the nine-month conflict.
As violence persists in Gaza, Palestinian health officials reported civilian casualties in Rafah, where tank shelling claimed the lives of at least 11 people. Displaced Palestinian families continue to flee the escalating Israeli attacks, seeking shelter further north as the fighting approaches residential areas.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with much of the population displaced and critical infrastructure destroyed. Amid the chaos and devastation, nearly 500,000 people in Gaza are facing severe hunger, according to a recent UN-backed assessment. Residents are struggling to survive amidst the ongoing violence and destruction in the region.