The Israeli military has uncovered Hamas’s biggest terror tunnel system since the ground operation began almost seven weeks ago. The underground terrorist network, built using tunnel boring machines, is large enough for vehicles to pass through, the Israel Defense Forces disclosed on Sunday.
This deep and massive tunnels located in northern Gaza reached close to the Israeli border. “This massive tunnel system, splits into branches of tunnels, spans well over four kilometers (2.5 miles) and reaches only 400 meters (1,310 feet) from the Erez crossing,” the Israeli TV channel i24NEWS reported. “This subterranean tunnel system was a project led by Muhammad Sinwar, the brother of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.”
The IDF on Sunday revealed its recent successes in dismantling Hamas’s vast terror tunnel network:
To date, the IDF has exposed hundreds of terror tunnel shafts throughout the Gaza Strip. Many are built from reinforced concrete and are equipped with electricity, ventilation, sewage, communication networks and rails, like the one we are exposing. Over the past 70 days, the IDF has exposed multiple examples where these tunnels were built under hospitals, schools, kindergartens and other sensitive sites. The IDF continues to use advanced operational, intelligence and technological means to eliminate Hamas’ network of terror tunnels across the Gaza Strip.The ground forces, using operational field intelligence, have provided a lot of information about Hamas’ terror tunnels project, and have helped to advance both our knowledge and our maps of the tunnels. From the beginning of the war till now, the IDF has been operating to locate and destroy dozens of attack tunnel routes, as part of the systematic dismantling of Hamas infrastructure.
Since IDF entered terrorist-controlled Gaza in late October, Israeli combat engineers have located and destroyed hundreds of tunnel shafts leading to Hamas’s underground system of tunnels and bunkers for hoarding weapons and hiding terrorist fighters. “Over 800 tunnel shafts have been discovered in Gaza since Israel’s ground invasion against Hamas began, of which, 500 have been destroyed,” the Jerusalem Post reported early December citing IDF sources. Many of these terror tunnels open into hospitals, schools, civilian homes and mosques.
After flushing out Hamas jihadis from key strongholds in northern Gaza, the Israeli ground troops are close to taking the southern terrorist bastion of Khan Younis. Hamas’s Gaza chief, Yahya Sinwar, and many of the top terror operatives are believed to be hiding in Khan Younis.
The Israeli news website Ynet reported:
IDF forces advanced into the Khan Younis region on Sunday, conducted a raid on the office of the Khan Younis Brigade commander, targeted terrorist infrastructure and subterranean tunnels, and ultimately secured control of Bani Suheila Square at the heart of Khan Younis.”In the past week, 7th Brigade troops eliminated numerous terrorists, located approximately 30 tunnel shafts and destroyed numerous anti-tank and lookout posts in the area. They also confiscated grenades and anti-tank missiles and found intelligence materials including phones, computers and Hamas guidebooks,” the military said in a statement.”The soldiers also conducted a targeted raid on Hamas’ Deir Al Balah Battalion post and seized intelligence materials. The forces also operated against the residence of a Nukhba terrorist, where they found weapons and equipment belonging to Hamas’ naval forces.”The force has been engaged in combat since the war’s onset, successfully gaining control of large swaths of northern Gaza before moving to the southern region.”We raided a Hamas military compound and found valuable intelligence material in the office of the Khan Younis Brigade commander,” the 7th Brigade commander said.
As IDF tightens its noose around Gaza-based Hamas leaders and terrorist perpetrators of the October 7 massacre, the Biden White House is pressuring Israel to wrap up the ground offensive and limit future military operations to targeted strikes. Biden’s strategy, if forced on Israel, will keep Hamas in power and its terror fighters and terrorist infrastructure intact.
The British newspaper Telegraph reported Sunday:
The United States will push Israel to carry out smaller, more focused raids in the next phase of the war.Lloyd Austin, the US Defence Secretary, is expected to put pressure on Israeli leaders to end the war’s most intense phase and adopt a more targeted strategy against Hamas during a visit to Israel on Monday.US officials told the New York Times they would want Israel to conduct smaller, strategic raids using elite troops, and deploy more precise missions to destroy Hamas leaders and rescue hostages in the next phase.Mr Austin will meet Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, the Israeli defence minister, to discuss their vision and stress the importance of civilian safety.
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