Palestinian Resistance confronts renewed invasion of al-Shujaiya

Israeli occupation forces renewed their invasion of Gaza City’s al-Shujaiya neighborhood on Friday, after withdrawing under the Resistance’s fire several months ago.

After claiming to have dismantled the Palestinian Resistance’s military apparatus in the northern Gaza Strip in early January 2024, the Israeli occupation’s military command has renewed commands for several attacks on cities, neighborhoods, and refugee camps in the area.

The latest of which is this renewed attack on al-Shujaiya.

However, the renewed attacks into these areas have proven even more difficult to execute for Israeli occupation forces, as the first time around armored and infantry forces were better equipped and garnered greater firepower from supporting units and the Air Force.

An incursion into Jabalia and its refugee camp on May 12 dragged on into early June, as the city saw some of the fiercest fighting since the ground invasion of the Gaza Strip was launched in late October 2023. Crucially, the attack on Jabalia was marketed to be a passing Israeli raid, however, Israeli circles were shocked to find that the Palestinian Resistance, specifically Hamas’ al-Qassam Brigades had recovered effective operational capabilities.

Resistance engages invading forces in al-Shujaiya

On Thursday, the Israeli military command ordered Palestinians to evacuate al-Shujaiya and soon after launched an attack on the neighborhood. However, as has been the case in such attacks, Palestinian Resistance fighters were ready to confront the hostile force and defend the neighborhood. 

Particularly, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s (PIJ) al-Quds Brigades conducted several operations that targeted incoming Israeli armored vehicles. 

The group detonated more than six improvised explosive devices (IEDs) into armored Israeli vehicles in the neighborhood in just a few hours of confrontation. 

Here is a list of these operations:

1. Al-Quds Brigades detonated an IED planted into a road in the al-Shujaiyah, which hit an Israeli armored vehicle. 
2. Fighters also detonated a heavy IED, dubbed “Baqer”, into an Israeli military-grade bulldozer near al-Shuhada’ Mosque. 
3. A large cylindrical-shaped explosively formed penetrator (EFP) device was detonated into an Israeli armored vehicle, destroying the target near the Tunisian Cemetary in al-Shujaiya. 
4. Two Israeli armored vehicles were destroyed in a minefield set up by al-Quds Brigades fighters near al-Qandil area in the neighborhood. 
5. Another large explosive device, dubbed “Zilzal” or “Earthquake”, incapacitated an Israeli Merkava tank on al-Baghdad Street.

Al-Qassam fighters leave Namer APC in flames 

Hamas’ al-Qassam Brigades also conducted several operations, targeting occupation forces invading the neighborhood. 

The Brigades targeted an Israeli Merkava 4-tank using a Shawaz EFP. They also fired an al-Yassin tandem rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) at an Israeli armored personnel carrier (APC).

However, the operation that headlines today’s confrontations saw al-Qassam fighters fire an al-Yassin RPG at an Israeli Namer-type APC. 

According to the statement released by al-Qassam’s Military Media Unit, the locally-produced RPG completely destroyed the vehicle, which was set ablaze, killing its crewmembers. 

Al-Qassam fighters also confronted occupation forces in Tal al-Hawa, a neighborhood in southern Gaza City, firing an RPG at a grouping of soldiers. 

Al-Qassam destroys another APC in Rafah

Concurrently, the Palestinian Resistance continued to engage occupation forces that have invaded Rafah and launched multiple rocket salvos at Israeli military sites on Thursday. 

In Rafah, operations were mainly comprised of mortar attacks, that targeted the Sufa military site to the east of the city, occupation forces in al-Saudi neighborhood, and the Karem Abu Salem military site.

However, an al-Qassam sniper team did manage to shoot down an Israeli soldier near al-Shibli Mosque in eastern Rafah. 

The Brigades also fired an al-Yassin RPG at an Israeli APC in al-Saudi neighborhood, which set the vehicle ablaze. Soon after Israeli military rescue helicopters were seen landing at the site of the ambush to transport the casualties from the area. 

In al-Shaboura neighborhood al-Qassam fighters fired the tandem RPG shell at an Israeli Merkava tank. 

Occupation forces in the Netsarim Axis and the Kissufim military site were also attacked by Resistance fighters who fired several types of rocket artillery shells in their direction.