Capture Israeli Soldiers Alive – Hamas Vows New Mission as Israel Enacts Hannibal Protocol for its Troops Operating in Gaza
The newly appointed military chief of the Al-Qassam Brigades, Izz al-Din Al-Haddad, has issued fresh orders instructing fighters to capture Israeli soldiers alive during operations. The 65-year-old commander has emerged as a key figure following the loss of senior leadership in recent months. His strategic warfare approach is said to have inflicted significant damage on Israeli forces over the past three months.
According to sources, Al-Qassam Brigades have adjusted their operational tactics to exert greater pressure on the Israeli army. In a recent statement, Abu Ubaida, spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigades, confirmed that it has become a top priority to capture Israeli soldiers alive on the battlefield.
Few days back, an Israeli soldier was killed during an abduction attempt by terrorists who also attempted to snatch his body in the southern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed.
He was later named as Master Sgt. (res.) Abraham Azulay, 25, a heavy engineering operator in the Southern Command’s combat engineering unit, from the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar.
According to an ongoing IDF probe, several Hamas gunmen emerged from a tunnel and attacked Israeli troops in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis. During the attack, gunmen attempted to abduct Azulay, who had been operating an excavator.
Hamas’s military wing announced its gunmen had attempted to capture a soldier east of Khan Younis, but that the “field conditions did not allow for it, so they killed him and seized his weapon.”
The group published a video of its attempt to capture the Israeli soldier in the Abasan al-Kabira area, east of Khan Younis. The footage also showed Hamas fighters attacking two Israeli tanks and two military bulldozers in the same area.
The footage appears to contradict the Israeli military’s official account of the incident and has drawn criticism in local media.
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.
Azulay is seen running away from the fighters rather than engaging with them in the Hamas video, and the Palestinians appear to leave the area unharmed.
Attempted Capture Triggers ‘Hannibal Protocol’
Earlier this week, an attempted abduction of an Israeli soldier by armed Palestinian fighters reportedly prompted Israeli forces to invoke the controversial “Hannibal Protocol.” According to military sources, the soldier came dangerously close to being captured. In response, Israeli forces launched heavy gunfire and airstrikes to thwart the abduction.
What is the Hannibal Protocol?
The Hannibal Protocol is a classified and controversial directive in the Israeli military. It authorizes the use of overwhelming force—including actions that could endanger or kill the abducted soldier—to prevent them from falling into enemy hands. Israeli defense officials argue that the political and military cost of recovering captured soldiers is too high, as illustrated by past prisoner exchange deals.
Palestinian sources reported that Israeli helicopters landed in the Hayy al-Tuffah neighborhood northeast of Gaza City, in coordination with intense warplane activity. The area was reportedly struck with artillery and smoke bombs during the operation.
Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that wounded soldiers were evacuated by helicopter to Tel HaShomer Hospital in central Israel. The number of casualties from the incident remains unclear, with official figures withheld under Israeli military censorship.
Strategic and Political Implications
The incident has been described by Israeli media as a serious and potentially destabilizing development. The prospect of an Israeli soldier being captured recalls the case of Gilad Shalit, for whose release over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners were freed in a 2011 exchange deal.
Following the incident, tensions in Gaza have sharply escalated. The Israeli military has reportedly deployed reinforcements near the Gaza border. Aerial strikes and ground operations are expected to intensify in the coming days.
