Al-Qassam Brigades avow Israeli bombings

Hamas’ military wing the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades announced its responsibility for two bombings on Israeli military vehicles on Wednesday evening. The bombings took place in 2010 and 2012 and were carried out on an Israeli armoured personnel carrier and an Israeli tank in the north and east of the Gaza Strip. A press release by the militant group said the movement has targeted “a Merkava III tank which had penetrated into the centre of the Gaza Strip.” The Al-Qassam Brigades also declared responsibility for “bombing a Zionist armoured personnel carrier in the east of the Al-Karara area in the south of the strip.” In the statement distributed alongside video footage supposedly depicting the two operations, the militant group said the bombing of the tank took place in December 2010. Israel’s Chief of General Staff Gabi Asheknazi had announced at the time that an advanced Kornet rocket had made a precise hit of an army tank. In statements published in the Israeli press, Askhenazi had said the rockets threatened the Israeli army’s security. The second operation, according to the Al-Qassam Brigades’ statement, took place on the morning of October 19 2012. Israel’s Channel Two had reported at the time that a large explosive charge was detonated as an Israeli army patrol was conducting military operations near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.