Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), announced the destruction of more than 15 Israeli tanks and other vehicles throughout the day (Tuesday) and also broadcast scenes of fierce clashes with the occupation forces penetrating northwest of Beit Lahia. The Brigades said that they were "ramming the enemy forces penetrating the northwest and south axes of Gaza City with dozens of mortar shells." The Palestinian resistance launched a missile attack on Israeli sites and towns. In turn, Israeli TV Channel 12 reported that rockets launched from Gaza fell into the sea off Tel Aviv, coinciding with a speech by Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Galant a while ago. Moreover, the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, said that its fighters were able to strike personnel and vehicles of the occupation forces east of Khan Yunis (southern Gaza Strip), with a barrage of mortar shells. The brigades also announced the targeting of an Israeli forces command centre behind the Pioneer factory, northwest of Gaza City, with several mortar shells. The military spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Ubaida, said that Al-Qassam was about to release 12 detainees in Gaza who hold foreign nationalities, but the occupation obstructed that. He added: "We still confirm that we are ready to release them, but the field situation and the Zionist aggression that threatens their lives, are the ones who are preventing this from being done." For its part, the Government Information Office in Gaza said that 40,000 housing units in the Strip have been completely demolished since the start of the war, noting that more than 30,000 tons of explosives were dropped on the Gaza Strip over 32 days of aggression. The Office pointed out that 46% of the dead people were from the southern areas of the Strip, which the occupation promoted as safe areas and called on residents of the north to seek refuge there. In the meantime, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said his government would have to make difficult decisions in the war, adding: "There is no turning back." Gallant stressed that "the hostages must be returned before any humanitarian truce." He said: "The pressures will escalate, but we cannot stop the fighting until Hamas is defeated and the hostages return." "Yahya Sinwar is primarily responsible for the 7 October attack. Eliminating Yahya Sinwar is one of our goals in this war, in addition to the rest of Hamas' leaders. We are determined to achieve our goal and accomplish the mission, which is to dismantle Hamas and its capabilities and reach its leaders and fighters," Gallant said. Nevertheless, a US State Department spokesperson said that the department helped more than 400 American citizens, permanent residents, and others to leave the Gaza Strip. At the same time, the German Foreign Ministry announced that more than 30 people with German citizenship and their families left the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing. Also on Tuesday, Egypt's Ministry of Health and Population announced that it received 12 Palestinian children, through the Rafah border crossing, to be treated for cancerous diseases in Egyptian hospitals specialized in treating children's tumours.
