A surprising and deadly attack on Israeli forces occurred on the night of July 7 in the Beit Hanoun area, just a mile from the Israeli border, where soldiers believed they were secure.

A suddenly detonated bomb killed five soldiers from the “Nitzah Yehuda” battalion and injured 14 others.

The attack, involving three remote-controlled bombs and gunfire from concealed Hamas militants, underscores Hamas’s shift to guerrilla warfare tactics. Despite enduring significant losses over 21 months of conflict, the group has shown it retains the capability for lethal strikes.

Israeli investigations revealed that the bombs were planted a day prior to the attack, indicating a well-coordinated ambush. The operation was carried out by Hamas’s military wing, the “Qassam Brigades,” in an area deemed thoroughly secured by Israeli forces.

In a subsequent incident on Wednesday, Hamas targeted an Israeli engineering vehicle in Khan Younis with a rocket launcher and attempted to abduct a soldier. While the Israeli military thwarted this attempt, one soldier was killed. The Qassam Brigades later asserted, “Next time, we will succeed, and we will have a new prisoner.”

These developments highlight that, while Israel has successfully conducted a recent 12-day operation against Iran without casualties, the situation in Gaza remains volatile and complex. Recent reports indicate that 19 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza in just the past few weeks.

Some soldiers captured by Hamas during the October 7 attacks have been released recently, but the group has warned that it will capture more if the conflict continues.

Former Israeli General Israel Ze’ev pointed out that Hamas has evolved into smaller military units operating through underground tunnels and launching sudden attacks. He remarked that the conflict has transformed into one characterized by “landmines and guerrilla assaults.”

Israeli military officials noted that Hamas has depleted much of its rocket arsenal and can now conduct only intermittent rocket attacks. However, the group is reportedly seeking new resources by creating improvised explosives from remnants in Gaza.

Meanwhile, ceasefire negotiations in Doha have yet to yield significant progress. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in Washington that Israel will not cease hostilities until Hamas surrenders its weapons and dismantles its political and military structures.

Hamas has not indicated any willingness to make major concessions, and recent attacks serve as a testament to the group’s ongoing strength and readiness to continue the fight.