Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
As Israeli ground forces push deeper into Gaza City, the armed wing of Hamas has issued a stark warning, declaring its readiness for what it described as a “war of attrition” against the Israeli army. The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing, stated on Thursday that any Israeli advance into Gaza would be met with fierce resistance, emphasizing that the city “will not be an easy target.”
In a statement, the group claimed it had prepared “combat readiness measures,” including thousands of ambushes and explosive devices strategically planted across the urban battlefield. The brigades warned that Israel’s deepening military operation could come at a heavy cost in both soldiers killed and taken captive, while also hinting at the precarious fate of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. “They are distributed across the city’s neighborhoods,” the statement noted, in what appeared to be both a threat and a warning about the potential consequences of continued military escalation.
Israel has yet to respond in detail to Hamas’s statement. However, the situation on the ground suggests growing intensity in the fighting, with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirming a new phase in its urban operations inside Gaza.
Fatal Blast in Rafah Underscores Escalating Costs
The cost of Israel’s campaign was starkly illustrated on Thursday when four Israeli officers were killed, and three others wounded, in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in Rafah, located in the southern Gaza Strip.
According to an IDF statement, the incident occurred in the al-Jeneina neighborhood, a densely built-up area that has seen frequent clashes in recent weeks. The soldiers, all part of the “Dekel Battalion” from Israel’s Officer Training School (Bahad 1), were conducting a clearance operation when a roadside bomb detonated under one of their vehicles. A military bulldozer was reportedly clearing the path ahead, followed by two armored vehicles, one of which triggered the hidden device.
Preliminary investigations suggest the IED had been placed and concealed well in advance, and the exact method of detonation is still under examination. The wounded soldiers are being treated, with conditions ranging from moderate to critical.
While the Israeli army asserts that Rafah has been largely “cleansed” of Hamas infrastructure, military officials acknowledged that pockets of fighters believed to number in the dozens remain active, particularly in al-Jeneina. The area has been the site of several confrontations between IDF troops and Hamas gunmen in recent days.
Humanitarian Concerns Amid Intensifying Urban Warfare
As the conflict grinds on, the humanitarian toll continues to rise. The latest escalation in Gaza City comes amid ongoing warnings from international organizations about the devastating impact on civilians. Thousands of residents have been forced to flee once again, as fighting engulfs neighborhoods that had already been damaged in previous phases of the conflict.
Aid agencies continue to push for safe corridors to deliver much-needed food, water, and medical supplies, but access remains severely limited. The United Nations and other groups have reiterated their calls for all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law and protect civilians caught in the crossfire.
Stalemate with High Stakes
The statements by both Hamas and Israel underscore a grim reality: after nearly a year of war, neither side appears willing to step back. Hamas, while significantly degraded militarily, is shifting toward asymmetric tactics booby traps, underground networks, and ambushes to prolong the conflict and increase the cost of Israel’s urban incursions. Meanwhile, Israel appears determined to dismantle what remains of Hamas’s operational capacity, even at the risk of urban warfare’s high toll in lives and resources.
For the Israeli public, the mounting casualties particularly among trained officers are a painful reminder of the conflict’s human cost. For Gazans, the deepening offensive only exacerbates an already dire humanitarian situation, with no clear end in sight.
As both sides dig in for what appears to be a prolonged phase of attritional warfare, diplomatic efforts to de-escalate remain stalled, and the region braces for further bloodshed.
