The al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, announced that its fighters carried out a series of top-tier operations in the southern part of Gaza City’s al-Zaytoun neighborhood.
These included targeting a Merkava tank in the al-Musallaba area with a Yasin-105 shell, and executing a complex ambush against occupation forces in the al-Barasi area, during which a Zionist force fortified inside a house was struck with a TBG shell, and a sniper positioned inside was fired upon.
Al-Qassam fighters also detonated two explosive devices inside the cockpits of two armored personnel carriers and targeted a Namer APC with a Yasin-105 shell.
In addition, they shelled two houses where occupation soldiers had taken cover during their withdrawal, using Tandem and Yasin-105 shells, confirming that several Zionist soldiers were killed and wounded.
Earlier, al-Qassam announced that its Resistance fighters targeted a Merkava 4 tank and a D9 military bulldozer with Yasin-105 shells on Street 8, south of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City.
Defense against ongoing aggression
The operations come as the Palestinian Resistance continues defending its land and people against the Israeli invaders, amid the ongoing genocide launched by the occupation against the people of Gaza.
On Thursday, the Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that 54 Palestinians were martyred and 831 others injured in the past 24 hours as the occupation continues its relentless aggression on the Gaza Strip.
Since the beginning of the aggression on October 7, 2023, the total number of martyrs has reached 61,776, with 154,906 injuries documented. From March 18, 2025, to the present day, 10,251 Palestinians have been martyred and 42,865 others injured as a result of intensified operations.
The ministry also noted that within the last 24 hours, 22 Palestinians were martyred and 269 were injured while attempting to obtain humanitarian aid. These individuals fall under what has been described as “aid martyrs”, civilians targeted while seeking necessities for survival.
The total number of martyrs in this category has now reached 1,881, with more than 13,863 injuries recorded among those seeking aid.
Factions prioritize lifting siege
The Palestinian national and Islamic forces have stressed that the top priority at this stage is an immediate and comprehensive halt to the aggression, the lifting of the blockade on the Gaza Strip, and the safe, unobstructed entry of humanitarian and relief aid without delay.
This came following a meeting in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on Thursday, during which the factions affirmed their full readiness to engage with initiatives and proposals that meet national demands: ending the aggression, ensuring the withdrawal of the occupation forces, and lifting the blockade.
The Palestinian forces and factions warned against the Zionist settler-colonial Judaization plans in the West Bank, stressing that confronting Zionist schemes in both the West Bank and Gaza requires building genuine and serious national unity.
They also addressed the mediators’ efforts to end the aggression on Gaza and praised the international mobilization in support of the Palestinian people.
The factions called on Arab states, global friends, UN agencies, and human rights organizations to shoulder their historic and legal responsibilities toward the Palestinian people and exert pressure on the occupation to stop its crimes, as well as hold it accountable for its violations.
Hamas in Cairo for talks on new Gaza ceasefire proposal: AFP
On August 12, a Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations told AFP that “mediators are working to formulate a new comprehensive ceasefire agreement proposal” that would see all remaining captives in Gaza released “in one batch.”
The proposal could include “a 60-day truce, followed by negotiations for a long-term ceasefire, and an agreement to exchange all Israeli captives, both living and deceased, in a single batch,” according to the same source.
According to Al-Qahera News (also known as Cairo News Channel), a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya has arrived in Egypt to take part in consultations on Gaza ceasefire talks.
Earlier in the day, AFP cited two sources confirming that senior Hamas figures were traveling to Cairo to meet Egyptian officials as part of mediation efforts. One source noted the visit was “at Egypt’s invitation,” adding that al-Hayya would meet officials “to discuss the latest developments in ceasefire talks and captive exchanges.”
A Hamas official separately told AFP that the group “has not received any new proposal” from the Zionist side via mediators but “remains ready to reach an agreement if ‘Israel’ decides.” He stressed that Hamas is seeking “a permanent end to the war,” as well as the lifting of the siege and restrictions on aid to guarantee its smooth entry into Gaza.