In a video posted on its Telegram platform, the Qassam Brigades said its fighters targeted Israeli army vehicles in the city of Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip, as part of a series of "Moses' Staff" operations.
The Qassam Brigades video shows the placing of an explosive device on an Israeli armored personnel carrier, the moment it was detonated, and the fighters' subsequent return. Israeli tanks are also targeted with anti-tank missiles.
The recording also showed a Qassam fighter advancing and climbing onto a Merkava tank, attempting to open its cockpit, which had been locked from the inside, according to the recording. Qassam indicated that the operation involved targeting Israeli army vehicles using Al-Yassin missiles and machine guns.
Al-Qassam did not mention whether the operations resulted in any Israeli army casualties, nor did it provide any additional details. The military did not comment on the video.
In a related development, the United Nations announced that more than 82,000 people were forcibly displaced between August 14 and 31 due to escalating Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.
Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, stated that the Israeli military escalation has increased mass displacement and the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
"UN staff reported recording more than 82,000 new displacements between August 14 and 31, 30,000 of whom migrated from north to south," he said, adding that people are struggling to survive amid or near rubble and waste.
He pointed out that rising temperatures have exacerbated the situation and led to a widespread spread of rodents and insects, noting that this leads to increased health risks, especially for children.
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For his part, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayeb condemned the Israeli siege and starvation of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, affirming his rejection of any attempts to displace them from their land and calling for Arab and Islamic solidarity.
Al-Tayeb said, "Islam forbids the killing of children and holds its soldiers responsible for preserving their lives. Meanwhile, other regimes have incited the starvation of Gaza's children, until their skin sticks to their bones. Democracy and human rights advocates lure them into a hell that pours down on the heads of these children, turning what remains of their thin bodies into dust, or something resembling dust."
The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar affirmed that "the only solution lies in Arab solidarity, supported by Islamic solidarity that strengthens and supports it." He emphasized, "We are not advocates of wars or conflicts, but rather advocates of justice, fairness, and mutual respect. The justice and peace we call for are: justice and peace conditioned by fairness and respect."
Earlier on Wednesday, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir officially announced the launch of Operation Gideon 2, which aims to occupy the entirety of Gaza City after encircling it and displacing Palestinians from it. This comes days after Tel Aviv declared Gaza City a "dangerous combat zone" on Friday.
For more than three weeks, Israel has been carrying out extensive airstrikes and bombing operations, resulting in the martyrdom and injury of hundreds of Palestinians and massive destruction in the stricken city.
The "Gideon 2" vehicles are a continuation of the "Gideon vehicles" launched by the army in the Gaza Strip between May 16 and August 6, which Hebrew media reported as a failure.
On August 21, the Israeli security cabinet approved the military's plans to occupy Gaza City, home to approximately one million Palestinians. These plans had previously been approved by Defense Minister Yisrael Katz. While Israeli security chiefs support a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement agreed to by Hamas two weeks ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on the plan to occupy Gaza City.
With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving 63,746 Palestinians dead, 161,245 injured, most of them children and women, more than 9,000 missing, and hundreds of thousands displaced.
