Abu Ubeida, the official spokesperson for the Al Qassam Brigades, the military arm of the Hamas movement, claimed that the group reported damage to more than 160 pieces of Israeli military equipment. The report came from RIA News and was echoed by the group’s representatives as the conflict intensified in the region.
He added that since the start of the ground offensive by the opposing forces, more than 160 pieces of Zionist military hardware had been either fully destroyed or rendered inoperable, with more than 25 of those losses occurring in the most recent 48 hours. The statements attributed to Obeida emphasized that the damage was ongoing and that the number reflected ongoing combat engagements and assessments on the battlefield.
Osama Hamdan, who previously served as the Hamas representative in Lebanon, noted that during the October 7 attack on Israel, fighters within the movement were instructed not to target women, children, or the elderly. He suggested that despite these directives, the situation drifted beyond existing controls as events unfolded on the ground and military positions were challenged.
According to Hamdan, Mohammed Ad-Deif, the commander of the Al-Qassam Brigades, had ordered restraint toward noncombatants, but once large numbers of Hamas fighters moved into various military positions, security gaps emerged around Gaza. He asserted that, in the ensuing chaos, Palestinian forces moved into several Israeli settlements and that some incidents were the responsibility of Israeli actions during the escalation.
Former political analyst comments were offered on one of the factors believed to have contributed to the flare in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, highlighting a blend of strategic decisions, battlefield dynamics, and the broader political context that framed the recent rounds of violence. [citation from associated observers]