Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas resistance movement claimed that it targeted five Israeli battle tanks in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, as dozens of more people were killed in Israeli bombardments in the besieged territory.
In a brief statement, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said its fighters targeted a Merkava tank with an explosive device in the al-Saftawi area, west of Jabalia refugee camp, Press TV reported.
In a second statement, the group said its fighters targeted four more tanks with explosive devices in eastern Jabalia town.
The al-Qassam Brigades later said in a separate statement that its fighters targeted an Israeli Apache helicopter with a SAM rocket in the east of al-Bureij refugee camp, the central Gaza.
The Israeli army has yet to comment on the Hamas claims.
In recent days, Israeli media reports have cast doubt over the number of resistance fighters in the Gaza Strip, pointing to their "substantial comeback" 15 months into the bloody war on the Palestinian territory.
Israeli media outlets, including The Jerusalem Post, have estimated that there are between 20,000 and 23,000 resistance fighters across Gaza, including those of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, along with local fighters.
The newly reported figures challenge the Israeli claims of nearing total victory over Hamas.
bd-pratidin/GR
