Hamas militants storm Israeli base in Khan Yunis, Gaza: hand-to-hand fighting and escape through tunnels

Some 18 militants from the Al Qassam Brigades (Hamas's armed wing) managed to infiltrate an Israeli army base on Wednesday in the Magen Oz corridor , which divides the Gaza city of Khan Yunis between east and west. More than half were killed, an Israeli security source confirmed to Efe , and the armed group claimed responsibility.

"In a short period of time, troops, in coordination with the Air Force, eliminated ten terrorists in close-quarters combat. Eight additional terrorists fled back through the tunnels ," the security source said.

The incident began around 9:00 a.m. local time (6:00 a.m. GMT), when "more than 15" militants emerged from several tunnel trapdoors near the base.

" The terrorists carried out an attack on the base with gunfire and anti-tank missiles , and several of the infiltrating terrorists were eliminated in close-quarters combat and with supporting airstrikes," the Israeli security official confirmed.

The Al Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement, saying that "an infantry platoon" had successfully stormed a new enemy position in southeastern Khan Yunis.

"Qassam fighters also attacked several houses where occupation soldiers were entrenched to secure them (...) Several soldiers stormed the houses and killed several occupation soldiers," the militia said.

Al-Qassam also claimed that one of its fighters blew himself up with explosives among the soldiers, "killing and wounding them."

However, the Israeli Army has not confirmed the deaths of any of its soldiers.

According to the armed forces statement, one soldier was seriously injured and two others slightly injured in the incident , which is still ongoing as troops try to locate the attackers who managed to escape.

"Qassam fighters managed to shoot a Merkava 4 tank commander, mortally wounding him," the armed group said.

The Times of Israel also reported that militants who infiltrated the base tried unsuccessfully to kidnap the soldiers.

The base is located in the Magen Oz corridor, established by the Israeli Army and which runs through the city of Khan Yunis, dividing it between east and west.

To the west are the refugee camps in the Mawasi area, where more than 425,000 people, according to the UN, are crammed into tents after being displaced by the relentless Israeli evacuation orders.

More than 62,000 people have died in Gaza since the start of the Israeli offensive in October 2023 , in a situation denounced as genocide by countries such as South Africa before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), a designation also used by international and Israeli human rights organizations.