Armed members of the Hamas movement infiltrated the Erez Crossing and clashed with Israeli army forces, in the latest episode of the war in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli account spoke of violent armed clashes in the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing area in the northern Gaza Strip.

Israeli Army Radio said: “Israeli army forces killed a number of gunmen who were apparently trying to infiltrate Israeli territory in the Erez crossing area.”

She added: “The gunmen emerged from the opening of an underground tunnel, a few hundred meters from the Erez crossing, and the forces recognized them and exchanged fire with them until they were eliminated. There were no casualties among our forces.”

But the same radio reported mortar shelling by armed men on soldiers in the crossing area.

Hamas' account painted a different picture of the battle, as it said that violent armed clashes were taking place at the Erez crossing, and it spoke of the damage to Israeli vehicles.

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, also said that its members were shelling the area with mortar shells to prevent support from reaching the clashing forces.

It confirmed in a statement that its members “are currently engaged in violent clashes with machine-gun and anti-tank weapons with the occupation forces penetrating northwest Gaza.”

Al-Qassam said that its members targeted two Israeli tanks, hitting them directly, while the Israeli army did not confirm the incident.

The Israeli army and Palestinian militants engaged in violent armed clashes in close quarters in the northern Gaza Strip after a limited Israeli ground incursion into the Strip.

Neither side announced their ongoing losses around the clock, but the Israeli media and the accounts of the Palestinian factions on social media platforms indicated that the armed confrontations are very violent.

The Israeli army had increased its incursion into the northern region of the Gaza Strip under heavy cover from the Israeli air force and artillery.

Two major clashes were reported, the first in the Beit Lahia area and the second in the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing area in the northern Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army published video tapes of soldiers walking in northern Gaza under the protection of aircraft and tanks.

The Israeli army said in a statement: “Air Force planes directed by army forces targeted military buildings belonging to the Hamas organization, some of which contained activists affiliated with the organization.”

He added: “In addition, anti-tank missile launching pads, reconnaissance sites and military infrastructure were targeted.”

The Israeli army continued: “The forces eliminated gunmen who opened fire on the forces, as well as gunmen who were spotted on the beach line in the Zikim area inside the Gaza Strip.”

But Hamas did not confirm this information.

The Israeli army said in a statement: “During the hours of tonight, an officer was seriously injured as a result of a mortar shell falling in the northern Gaza Strip. A soldier was also moderately injured during a clash with gunmen in the northern Gaza Strip. The soldier and the officer were transferred to receive treatment in the hospital.”< /p>

At the same time, Israeli aircraft continued their bombing inside the Gaza Strip, while Palestinian factions fired missiles at Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities and towns.

A direct hit on a house by missile fragments was reported in the city of Rishon Lezion in central Israel.

The sirens did not stop in the towns surrounding the Gaza Strip.