For over two weeks, Abu Obeida disappeared from television screens, prompting concerns among Palestinians and excited speculations among Israelis.
But the masked spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas, has reappeared in a newly recorded speech, with the same resolve and confident language.
It was apparent that Abu Obeida was intentionally making specific time references to end any doubt regarding the time of when his speech was recorded.
For example, he referred to the number of Israeli military vehicles destroyed in the last ten days – a reference to the resumption of fighting following the brief truce – and the failed rescue mission that resulted in the death of an Israeli soldier two days ago.
Below is the full statement of Abu Obeida, which was communicated via the Resistance News Network Telegram Channel on Sunday, December 10.
In a just-released video, Al-Qassam fighters are seen clashing with the enemy vehicles invading the axes of the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.
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— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) December 10, 2023
Mobilize for the Resistance
“The occupation continues its blind revenge on civilians and the destruction of infrastructure in a savage and ugly war, which is the only achievement boasted about by the leaders of the occupation.
“During the 10 days since the resumption of fighting, the Resistance fighters managed to target the occupation forces in the old and new points of intrusion.
“After our fighters approached the stationed enemy forces, our fighters succeeded in partially or completely destroying more than 180 military vehicles in the areas of Shejaieya, Al-Zaytoun, Sheikh Radwan, Jabalia Camp, Beit Lahia, east of Deir Al-Balah, and east and north of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.
“Our fighters attacked the invading forces with Al-Yassin shells, Shuath explosives, and guerilla action explosives.
🔻ABU OBEIDA (in a recorded speech obtained by Al-Jazeera)
✅We have completely or partially destroyed more than 180 military vehicles since the end of the truce.
✅Our Mujahideen attacked the Zionist vehicles with Al-Yassin 105 shells, Tandom shells, and strobe charges.
✅We… pic.twitter.com/RzovQ6cB8a
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) December 10, 2023
“We carried out several quality operations against the invading forces outside these forces, varying from setting up ambushes, confronting them with machine guns, individual explosives, booby-trapped tunnel openings, and trapping them in pre-set traps, in addition to sniper operations.
“Our operations resulted in confirmed injuries among the occupation forces, and most of our forces returned to their units safely.
“We were able to strike the invading forces with mortar shells and the Rajoom rocket system, and we bombarded our occupied cities with dozens of rocket barrages.
“We reiterate that what the aggression achieves is destruction and indiscriminate killing. The enemy has failed in both the north and south of the Strip, and will continue to fail whenever it infiltrates into another area.
“The steadfastness of our fighters in the field and the infliction of heavy losses on the enemy will continue, God willing.
“The temporary truce proved our truthfulness and the enemy’s lies, and it proved that none of the enemy’s prisoners will be released except through an exchange process.
“We have proven to both the enemy and the friend the good treatment received by the prisoners with us, in contrast to the sadistic treatment faced by our prisoners in the occupation’s prisons.
“Neither Netanyahu nor his government nor the Zionists in the White House can liberate a single soldier in the hands of the Al-Qassam Brigades, as demonstrated by the failed operation to free a Zionist prisoner.
“The enemy’s repeated bragging about aiming to eliminate the Resistance in Gaza is a goal for domestic consumption by the extreme right-wing audience. If the occupation is capable of eliminating Hamas in Gaza, have they managed to do so in the West Bank and occupied Al-Quds?!
AL-QASSAM BRIGADES: Our fighters targeted, with Al-Yassin shells, a number of 105 Israeli tanks on the fighting fronts in the Gaza Strip, including two tanks in the station area in the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Strip, a third tank east of the city, and a fourth tank north… pic.twitter.com/rfFadx1MZw
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) December 10, 2023
“The occupation is still receiving painful strikes in the West Bank, the latest of which was a few days ago in Al-Quds, and what is coming is greater.
“We call on the fighters of our people everywhere, the free of our (Arab and Islamic) nation, and those who reject the occupation around the world, to mobilize in response to the enemy through fighting, demonstrating, and disrupting the peace of the enemy. There is no good in those who continue to watch the crimes of the occupation against our people, civilians, and attempts at their displacement.
“The Holocaust that the enemy is carrying out aims to break the backbone of our resistance, but by God’s will, we are fighting on our land in a sacred battle that is imposed on us to disgrace the face of this savage occupation.
“We have no choice but to fight this savage occupier in every neighborhood, street, and alley.
2Our fighters are in good condition, their ranks are cohesive and strong, and thousands of our fighters are still waiting for their turn in combat.
“Testimonies from our fighters returning from the battlefields confirm the strength of their resolve and morale, and the extent of the demoralization of our enemy.”
(The Palestine Chronicle)
