The IDF soldiers killed in action were riding in a Namer when it was hit with an anti-tank missile....the Namer is the most heavily armored IFV in the world and has Trophy anti-missile system

The combat engineers and paramedic were killed by an anti-tank guided missile that hit a Namer CEV they were in, in southern Gaza.

The troops of the 6646th Battalion were killed by an explosive device amid a gun battle with Hamas operatives in central Gaza.

And the troops of… https://t.co/cxvc5Vi7ol

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) December 24, 2023

I know. They were riding in the Combat Engineer Version of this vehicle but what I stated in the title remains. We don't know the details of the fight so maybe the Hamas terrorist dogs simply overwhelmed the system AND the vehicles armor by ripple firing a high number of missiles at an individual vehicle (or one that was operating solo assuming that the system from other vehicles give "group" protection) and that's how they got thru...but from my chair this is still disturbing.

I know ANY vehicle can be defeated and even if we pumped up an IFV to 100 tons it could still be knocked out.

Perhaps I'm looking at this wrong.

How do we classify Hamas?  They're more than a terrorist group. The even more than a hybrid group that has funding of a power (although we know Iran is sending them weapons via the funds that Obama and Biden returned to them).

They're not quite a national army but much more than the now legacy thinking of a hybrid force.

As you can tell I'm thinking about this thing while I type.

Every loss of an Israeli soldier is mourned.  Every loss of an Israeli soldier is a propaganda victory for the Hamas dogs.

Why?

Because I for a second bit into the propaganda that they're putting out.

For a micro second I bit, and for much much much longer than that the supporters of Hamas are biting on the idea of them being a simple group of "freedom" fighter.  Basic guerillas.

That's not even in the same galaxy of being true.

The Palestinian people might be poor, but Hamas is a well funded army of evil zealots that must be destroyed to the last man.

If we're looking at this thing properly then it must be acknowledged that Hamas at the start of this thing was probably capable of toppling several Arab govts in the region.

Considering capabilities I'm almost surprised that casualties haven't been heavier.  Additionally I have to wonder where they're getting their intel from.  

Lastly do you remember them capturing a few Merkavas and Namers on Oct 7.  I wonder if they were able to suss out weak spots that quickly.