Now that the guns have fallen silent, Palestinian resistance fighters are finally getting a chance to give their account of what happened during 22 days of Israeli attacks. In exclusive interviews with IslamOnline.net, members and leaders of Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, talked about some of their best resistance operations.
Date: January 5, 2009.
Location: Mount Al-Rayes, Al-Touffah neighborhood, Gaza City
Scene I :
Israeli tanks and armors roll through a passage near Mount Al-Rayes. Warplanes pound the area to allow Israeli armors to advance.
“We began executing our previously-prepared plan once the Israeli tanks began moving into the passage,” said a Qassam fighter, who only gave the initials of his name as H.S.
Under the plan, Palestinian fighters discuss over their walky-talkies how that all routes are being manned by them expect one particular passage.
“We know that the Israelis were listening and would fall into the trap of moving their troops into that passage,” explains H.S.
Israeli jets began blitzing the area with missiles and smoke bombs to clear the way before the troops move in.
Then, a ten-tank convoy and four personnel carriers began advancing.
“They moved very slowly and cautiously,” recalls the Qassam fighter.
“Then special forces began coming out of the personnel carriers, passing by the first group of out fighters without noticing them.
“Then one of our fighter detonated anti-personnel and anti-armor mines,” he said.
“The Israeli soldiers began screaming.”
Two more Palestinian fighters emerged from their hideout, opening fire at the Israeli soldiers.
An Israeli tank began moving its cannon towards the attacking Palestinian fighters.
“But a third group of fighters emerged from underground, firing B-29 RC rockets at the tank, leaving it ablaze.”
During the fighting, a Palestinian fighter managed to capture an Israeli soldier.
“But an Israeli warplane fired a missile at them killing the soldier and wounding our fighter.”
Scene II:
Under heavy shelling, Israeli helicopter gunships land to evacuate the wounded soldiers.
An Israeli force then advances into the passage to move the damaged tanks.
“As the force advances it was ambushed, coming under heavy shelling from Qassam’s artillery teams and fighters,” recalls H.S.
“Several Israeli tanks were damaged in the ambush.”
Coming to the rescue of the attacked troops, Israeli warplanes began pounding the area.
“But the Qassam fighters withdrew safely, leaving behind many Israeli soldiers dead and wounded.”
Scene III :
Two Qassam fighters hide in an afforested area in Mount El-Rayes, armed with rifles, RPGs and mines.
After 30 hours, an Israeli force is seen advancing into the area.
“As tanks rolled, the fighters detonated their explosives,” says Abu Obeida, the Qassam spokesman.
Israeli planes began bombing the area. Then, a special force began advancing to clear the area from Palestinian fighters.
“As the force moved on, two of our fighters detonated explosives. Many Israeli soldiers fell to the ground screaming.”
Israeli aircraft again pounded the area, leaving the two fighters wounded.
“Then, the fighters withdrew into hiding, where they bled for more than 18 hours,” says Abu Obeida.
A group of Hamas fighters moved under heavy firing to evacuate their wounded comrades.
As a Hamas fighter moved his wounded colleagues out of their hideout, he was chased by Israeli tank shelling. But he still succeeded in evaluating them.
“They were given first aid before being taken into Gaza City,” says Abu Obeida.
Scene V:
An Israeli special force takes position at a house in Jabal Al-Kashif in eastern Gaza City.
The house is surrounded by Israeli tanks to stave off any possible Palestinian resistance attack.
Inside the house, Israeli commandoes are sitting comfortably, laughing.
Meanwhile, a group of Qassam fighters was moving into the house through a special tunnel.
“At the same time, fighters began shelling the house from outside with RPGs and mortar shells to distract the attention of the soldiers inside,” explains Abu Obeida.
Then, the Qassam fighters came out of the tunnel into the house.
“In just a few minutes, they killed and injured all Israeli soldiers inside the house before detonating the building and withdrawing safely.
Source: IslamOnline
