Hamas' military wing says it sniped Israeli soldier in northern Gaza Strip

The military wing of Palestinian group Hamas said Friday that one of its members sniped an Israeli soldier in the Gaza Strip.

The soldier was "north of Beit Hanoun," a town in the northwestern Gaza Strip, the Al-Qassam Brigades said.

The group also claimed targeting "a fortified Zionist force in a building north of Beit Hanoun with five TBG shells, causing the building to catch fire."

The escalation comes as Israel widens its air and ground operations in the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Israeli border towns on Oct. 7.

Nearly 10,800 people have been killed in the conflict, including 9,227 Palestinians and more than 1,538 Israelis.