Abu Obeida, the spokesperson for the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, says the attack in the northern city of Beit Hanoon that killed at least five Israeli soldiers yesterday was “an additional blow … in an area the [Israeli] occupation thought was safe”, reports Al Jazeera.

“The battle of attrition waged by our fighters against the enemy from the north to the south of the Gaza Strip will inflict additional losses on it every day. Even if it miraculously succeeded recently in freeing its soldiers from hell, it may fail later, leaving us with additional prisoners,” he said in a statement published by Hamas on Telegram.

The spokesperson added that the “brave resistance fighters” and Palestinian civilians in Gaza are the only ones who can determine the enclave’s future.

“The most foolish decision Netanyahu could make would be to keep his forces inside the Gaza Strip,” he added.