GAZA CITY, Palestine 

The military wing of Hamas on Monday claimed that its fighters had destroyed 60 Israeli military vehicles in Gaza over the past 72 hours.

In a recorded message, Abu Obeida, the spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, stated that among the targeted Israeli military vehicles, ten troop carriers were included in the attacks over the last three days.

He also noted that "fierce clashes" were taking place with the Israeli forces in several areas across the Gaza Strip.

"We suspect that the enemy [Israeli army] bombed its troops on the ground believing a number of its soldiers were arrested in an operation we had carried out against a troops carrier vehicle in Gaza City," Obeida said.

At least 66 Israeli soldiers were killed since the start of the Israeli ground operation in Gaza on Oct. 27, according to Israeli media.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip -- including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship -- since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 13,300 Palestinians have been killed, including 5,600 children and 3,550 women.

The Israeli death toll is nearly 1,200, according to official figures.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar