Heavy Israeli Casualties in Gaza as Resistance Ambushes Intensify
Palestinian resistance groups inflicted heavy casualties on Israeli occupation forces in Gaza, as military censorship fails to mask mounting losses.
The Israeli occupation army reported that nine of its personnel — including two senior officers — were injured when a landmine exploded in the Sheja’iyya neighborhood of northern Gaza.
According to the military, the casualties, part of the Jerusalem Brigade, were struck while combing the area.
Among the injured were the deputy commander of the 252nd Division and the commander of the 6310th Battalion. All were evacuated for treatment.
Israeli media described the incident, which occurred early Saturday, as a “serious security event.” The military responded by shelling the area and deploying helicopters to evacuate the wounded.
The Al-Qassam Brigades broadcast a video clip via Telegram of a complex ambush targeting an Israeli force near the Al-Mashrou’ junction in Rafah city, southern Gaza Strip, as part of a series of operations they called “Gates of Hell,” affirming that the ambush inflicted dead and… pic.twitter.com/4biLA6ikAn
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 9, 2025
Later reports confirmed that an Israeli military vehicle was struck directly by an anti-tank missile, further increasing the number of casualties. Several injured personnel were flown to Tal Hashomer Hospital in central Israel.
On Thursday, the Al-Qassam Brigades — the armed wing of the Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas — announced that 19 Israeli soldiers were killed or wounded in a targeted operation in the Tannour neighborhood, east of Rafah. The operation was part of a broader campaign called ‘The Gates of Hell’.
Palestinian resistance actions have intensified in recent weeks. The Israeli military has officially acknowledged the deaths of 856 soldiers since October 7, 2023 — eight of them since March 18, when the current phase of the Gaza genocide resumed.
In total, the army reports 5,847 injuries among its forces since the beginning of the war, including 2,641 wounded during ground operations in Gaza. These figures cover casualties in Gaza, southern Lebanon, and the West Bank.
‘Gates of Hell’ – Al-Qassam Broadcast Footage of an Ambush Targeting Nine Soldiers
However, the Israeli army is widely accused of concealing the true extent of its losses, despite frequent announcements by Palestinian factions of ambushes and direct hits on occupation forces resulting in fatalities and injuries.
International reports have highlighted Israel’s enforcement of strict military censorship on its media, aimed at suppressing information about casualties and material losses — a measure widely believed to preserve morale and control public perception.
(PC, AJA)