An attempt by members of an armed group aligned with Israel to abduct operatives from the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, in central Gaza left at least 10 Palestinians dead and about 15 wounded, according to field sources.
A source from an armed faction in Gaza said fighters from a group led by Shawqi Abu Nasira tried to lure Qassam operatives into an ambush on Monday evening near a school sheltering displaced people east of the Maghazi refugee camp.
The situation escalated into clashes, the source said, followed by Israeli intervention using drones and military vehicles positioned along what is known locally as the “yellow line,” separating Hamas-controlled areas from Israel. The intervention provided cover for the attackers, the source added.
At least 10 Palestinians were killed, including two who later died of their wounds, and around 15 others were injured, some critically. Multiple sources said the attackers failed to abduct any Qassam members.
Another field source from a faction close to Hamas said a member of the armed group who recently surrendered to Hamas security is suspected of acting as a double agent and orchestrating the ambush. The suspect allegedly lured Qassam operatives to the area under the pretext that rival fighters were planning an attack.
The source added that the “alertness” of Qassam fighters prevented the abduction attempt and led to clashes, with additional fighters already deployed nearby in anticipation of such an attack.
Three Hamas field sources in central Gaza declined to confirm that account but agreed that an abduction attempt had taken place.
One of the sources said the attackers took advantage of the dense civilian presence in the area, a few hundred meters west of the “yellow line.” Although the operation failed, families reported that two civilians were abducted, the source added.
Hamas-affiliated sources estimated the number of attackers at around 30, saying Israeli support and heavy firepower prevented significant casualties among them. There was no independent confirmation of deaths among the attackers.
Abu Nasira, a former Palestinian security officer and freed prisoner, leads a group that operates in northeastern Khan Younis and parts of central Gaza. Despite its relatively recent emergence, the group has expanded its activities and has been linked to several assassination attempts targeting Qassam members and Hamas security personnel.
Separately, the World Health Organization said it had suspended medical evacuations from Gaza to Egypt via the Rafah crossing for a second day after an Israeli strike killed a contracted driver despite his having a permit to pass near Bani Suheila in eastern Khan Younis.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said two staff members were present but unharmed, adding that the incident was under investigation and calling for the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers.
