Israeli media criticises army after Hamas clip shows soldier kidnapping attempt

Middle East Eye

2 days ago

Hamas's al-Qassam Brigades released a video on Thursday showing Palestinian fighters killing an Israeli soldier in the Gaza Strip and seizing his weapons, reportedly after deciding not to abduct him.
The footage appears to contradict the Israeli military's official account of the incident and has drawn criticism in local media.
Commentators accused the army of failing to adequately protect its soldiers on the ground and repeating the same mistakes agaisnt Hamas fighters.
In the video, Hamas fighters are seen targeting an Israeli bulldozer with a locally made anti-armour missile in the Abasan al-Kabira area, east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
Israeli reserve soldier Avraham Azulay is shown jumping out of the bulldozer following the strike. Later in the footage, he is seen lying on the ground near Hamas fighters, who appear to seize his weapon before withdrawing from the scene.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
Following Wednesday's raid, Hamas said its fighters 'attempted to capture one of the soldiers, but due to battlefield conditions, this was not possible, so they neutralised him and seized his weapon".
The Israeli military, in contrast, stated that its initial investigation found that Hamas fighters had emerged from a tunnel, attacked Israeli forces, and attempted to abduct Azulay.
The army claimed the soldier 'struggled with them, and the terrorists shot and killed him,' while nearby Israeli troops opened fire, hitting 'several' Hamas fighters and preventing the abduction.
How Hamas lured Israel into a lethal trap Read More »
However, the edited Hamas video appears to contradict this account. Azulay is seen running away from the fighters rather than engaging with them, and the Palestinians appear to leave the area unharmed.
Almog Boker, a correspondent for the Israeli Channel 12 News, said that while the killing of Azulay shows that troops are "fighting with full strength," the army is "not learning lessons".
"How can it be that after the Puma incident, in which we lost seven fighters and saw how the terrorists climbed onto the armored vehicle and threw an explosive device inside without anyone noticing them, a bulldozer operator is working in Khan Yunis without close security?" Boker said on X.
He was referring to a Hamas attack in late June, where seven Israeli soldiers were killed after a Palestinian fighter targeted an armoured personnel carrier (APC) with an explosive device thrown inside it.
"True, this is a war, and there are also painful costs, but the findings on the ground and the testimonies of the fighters teach us – it is possible to do more to minimise casualties to the absolute minimum," Boker said.
'Troubling conclusions'
Yedioth Ahranoth said the Hamas fighters attack in "broad daylight reveals troubling conclusions".
"For the second time this month and from point-blank range, Hamas released a video documenting the killing and attempted abduction of Reserve Staff Sergeant Avraham Azulay," the Israeli daily said.
"The footage also highlights another troubling phenomenon emerging from the prolonged fighting in the Gaza Strip: the Israeli army is being forced to use civilian engineering equipment," it said.
Hamas ambush kills five soldiers in Israeli-controlled 'buffer zone' Read More »
"This is due to the mechanical wear and tear of most military equipment since 7 October, leaving an insufficient number of operational machines."
The latest attack comes amid a surge in deadly Hamas ambushes targeting Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip in recent days.
Earlier this week, Hamas fighters killed five soldiers and wounded at least 14 others in an ambush in Beit Hanoun, near the border with Israel in northern Gaza.
The incident has been described as one of the deadliest attacks on Israeli ground forces since the beginning of the war in Gaza.
According to Israeli officials, at least 890 Israeli soldiers have been killed since 7 October 2023, nearly half of them since the Gaza invastion began.
At least 13 soldiers have been killed so far this month alone.