This Picture Does Not Depict the Al-Qassam Brigades’ Ambush East of Rafah
The Claim
Dead and wounded soldiers Who fell into a trap today in one of the tunnels that were blown up in Rafah.
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Emerging story
Recently, social media users have been circulating a picture claiming to depict dead and wounded members of the Israeli occupation army who allegedly fell in one of the tunnels blown up in Rafah on Thursday, May 9.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the claim and found it to be misleading, as the photo is old and does not depict soldiers who were killed on Thursday after the Al-Qassam Brigades bombed a tunnel in the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli Army Announced the Discovery of a Tunnel in the Gaza Strip in 2013
Media outlets published the circulated image on October 13, 2013, claiming it documented the discovery by the Israeli occupation army of a secret tunnel used by Palestinian resistance factions in the Gaza Strip, leading towards Israeli settlements at the time.
In October 2013, the Israeli occupation army announced the discovery of a tunnel used by Palestinian resistance factions in the Gaza Strip. According to Israeli reports, the tunnel originates in an area near the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, and extends approximately one and a half kilometers towards Israeli settlements. Media outlets reported that the tunnel's average depth is 18 meters.
Al-Qassam Brigades Targeted an Israeli Force in Rafah
The claim follows the announcement by Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, on Thursday, May 9, stating that they ambushed an Israeli force by blowing up a tunnel. This incident resulted in casualties among the Israeli force east of the city of Rafah during the ongoing clashes between Palestinian resistance factions and Israeli forces, following the occupation's invasion of the east side of the city.
Additionally, Al-Qassam Brigades announced several other targeting operations on Friday, May 10. These included the bombing of occupation army gatherings with mortar shells in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, as well as the destruction of an Israeli (Merkava 4) tank south of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, and another tank in the Abu Halawa area, east of Rafah.
The Occupation Army Announced Three Soldiers Injured in a Resistance Ambush
For its part, the Israeli occupation army announced on its official website on Thursday, May 9, that three of its soldiers were injured after being exposed to an explosion in an ambush east of the city of Rafah. It stated that it worked to evacuate the injured for treatment.
Invasion of Rafah City in the Eastern Gaza Strip
On Monday, May 6, the Israeli army announced the commencement of its invasion of Rafah City, located in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. This was preceded by issuing orders to the displaced residents of Rafah, mandating the forced evacuation of the eastern sector of the city.
By Tuesday morning, the occupation forces declared their control over the Rafah border crossing, which links the Gaza Strip to Egypt. This signifies a complete prohibition on the entry of any humanitarian aid into the Strip, as well as the exit of sick and injured individuals for medical treatment.
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