Qassam Fighter Fights to the End Before Being Run Over by Israeli Tank

Gaza, MINA – A video showing a wounded fighter from the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, confronting an Israeli tank in Khan Younis has garnered widespread attention and praise on social media for his bravery.

According to Al Jazeera, the fighter was seen on Thursday, holding an Al-Yasin-105 launcher, attempting to target a Merkava tank. The tank then ran him over while he was still alive, in a scene that has come to symbolize the steadfastness and courage of the Palestinian resistance fighters against the Israeli war machine.

The Al-Qassam Brigades announced in a statement via Telegram that they had successfully raided an enemy position southeast of Khan Younis with a platoon of infantry fighters on Wednesday.

On social media, the focus was on the scene of the wounded fighter directly facing the tank until his final moments, just as he was preparing to launch a projectile. Activists wrote that a lone fighter faced “the world’s most powerful tank” with rare fortitude until his last breath, an act that symbolized the heroism of the Palestinian resistance despite his severe injuries.

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Others commended the fighter’s courage and resilience, emphasizing that he fought to his last breath. Commentators noted the stark reality of the battlefield, where Gaza’s fighters are often outmatched in equipment and resources. Some added that even after two years of war and 23 months of killings, fighters are still demonstrating the same sincerity, heroism, and bravery as on the first day of the conflict.

Online commentators highlighted the Al-Qassam Brigades’ tactical prowess, noting their ability to carry out ambushes and effective operations despite Israeli surveillance drones flying over Gaza 24 hours a day. For bloggers, the scene captured the essence of the Gaza conflict: “unshielded fighters with limited resources facing a sophisticated and well-equipped war machine, while the world watches.”

An activist wrote, “The tank not only ran over the resistance fighter, but it ran over us, consciously and unconsciously. That hero fulfilled his duty, his honesty, and much more, but we don’t realize our own position.” Another added, “The meaning of martyrdom is to be a martyr in front of you, not behind you, and the whole world is witnessing this great martyrdom.”

Social media users also pointed out the image of the fighter,his slender frame, simple clothes, and ordinary shoes carrying a homemade launcher to confront a 70-ton tank worth approximately $US 10 million. They stressed that he did not drop his weapon until his final moments.

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Despite the wave of praise, some activists cautioned against misrepresenting details of the incident. They explained that one of the fighters in the operation was first targeted by a drone strike while retreating, before being run over by the tank.

The report detailed those fighters stormed the location and clashed with occupying forces, targeting several Merkava 4 tanks with “Shawaz” and “Al-Yasin 105” projectiles. They also fired at houses where soldiers were barricaded with six anti-tank rounds and heavy machine-gun fire. A number of fighters reportedly broke into the homes, killing several soldiers at close range with light weapons and grenades, and succeeded in shooting and fatally wounding a Merkava 4 tank commander.

The Al-Qassam Brigades’ statement said their fighters fired mortar shells at the site to cut off reinforcements and secure their withdrawal. As rescue forces arrived, a fighter detonated an explosive, killing and wounding more soldiers. The attack lasted for several hours, with fighters observing helicopters landing to evacuate casualties. [Shibgho]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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