Hamas claims it destroys Israeli tanks, armoured vehicles in eastern Gaza IDF operation in enclave nearing completiion

Brigades of the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement "Al-Qassam" have said they hit Israeli tanks and armoured personnel carriers in the east of the Gaza Strip.

Hamas militants may have hit five Israeli tanks and the same number of armoured personnel carriers in eastern Gaza with Yassin 105 shells, Caliber.Az reports, citing Gazeta.ru.

At the same time, General of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), commander of the Israeli armoured forces Hisham Ibrahim said that the operation in the northern Gaza Strip is close to its conclusion.

"The objectives in the northern section are almost achieved," the general shared.

According to him, the IDF continues to operate in other areas of the enclave against the radical Hamas movement.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) stated that the safe corridor in the centre of the Gaza Strip has become a battlefield.

Representatives of the Israeli army called on the population of the Gaza Strip to evacuate along the coast.

General of the IDF, commander of the Israeli armoured forces Hisham Ibrahim stated that the operation in the north of the Gaza Strip is close to its completion.

According to him, the IDF continues to operate in other areas of the enclave against the radical Hamas movement.

Before that, Haaretz newspaper, citing an unnamed diplomat, wrote that Western countries are concerned about the buffer zone near the border with the Gaza Strip, which Israel proposes to make.

The West fears that it could become permanent. There is also a discussion about whether to support Israel's initiative to create the zone.

The UN reported that about 80% of the population of Gaza has been displaced since the beginning of the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

"Nearly 1.9 million people - more than 80 per cent of the population - have been displaced in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the conflict," the post reads.

In addition, the militant wing of the Palestinian radical group Hamas "Izz ad-Din al-Qassam" attacked the Israeli city of Ashkelon, according to the official Telegram channel of Hamas.

"Al-Qassam brigades fired rockets at Ashkelon in response to Zionist bombardment of civilians in the Gaza Strip," Hamas officials said.