Israel Uncovers Hamas Tunnel Network Used to Hold Hostages in Gaza
UK’s Daily Mail: “IDF special forces uncover major Hamas tunnel with suspected hostage blood inside.”
Israeli soldiers are reportedly in hot pursuit of Hamas’s leadership and the remaining Israeli hostages as they uncover a vast terror tunnel network in the heart of Khan Yunis, one of the last remaining terrorist strongholds in the south of Gaza.
The tunnel opening, discovered by the IDF special forces, “was connected to an extensive underground tunnel network beneath a civilian area in the city,” the military announced.
According to the UK newspaper Daily Mail, the “IDF special forces uncover[ed] major Hamas tunnel with suspected Hostage blood inside.” Around 129 Israeli hostages are believed to be in Hamas captivity since October 7. However, some Israeli estimates suggest that 23 of them may have since been killed by the terrorist group.
The ongoing IDF operation is focused on finding Hamas’s top Gaza-based leadership and liberating the hostages. “The IDF sees the Khan Yunis operations as closely tied to efforts to locate two of Hamas’s senior leaders in Gaza, Mohammed Deif and Yahya Sinwar,” the Jerusalem Post reported. “According to some estimations, it is possible that Sinwar has surrounded himself with hostages, used as human shields, which would tie the mission to locate and kill Sinwar together with the IDF’s stated war goal of freeing the hostages.”
The tunnel system was “used by the terror organization to hold hostages under the city of Khan Yunis,” the Israeli military confirmed.
The IDF on Thursday revealed the details of the Hamas tunnel system in a press release:
In the past day, the IDF exposed a vast underground tunnel excavated by the Hamas terror organization under the city of Khan Yunis. The tunnel was located by the Commando Unit, the Yahalom Combat Engineering Unit and Special Forces. The tunnel was connected to an extensive underground tunnel network beneath a civilian area in the city. Millions of shekels are estimated to have been invested in excavating the tunnel and equipping it with air ventilation systems, electrical supply and plumbing. After investigating the tunnel, it can be confirmed that Israeli hostages had been inside the tunnel.
The 98th Division is simultaneously fighting underground and above ground in urban areas in the city. Engineering forces, the Yahalom Unit, Commando and additional forces are leading the effort to locate tunnels, investigate and dismantle them with advanced technology and operational means. During underground combat, the forces located more than 300 tunnel shafts, some leading to significant tunnels, tactical shafts, and underground areas which are used as weapons storage facilities and combat areas.
So far, more than one hundred tunnels were dismantled and decommissioned and in some tunnels, terrorists were also eliminated.
CNN’s Nic Robertson was the first international reporter to tour the Khan Younis tunnels. He “crawls over 60 feet underground to visit tunnels IDF says were used by Hamas,” the news network reported.
After having significantly destroyed Hamas’s strongholds in the north, the military is widening the ground offensive in central and southern Gaza, Israeli media reported.
“The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Thursday reported expansion of the operation in southern Gaza’s Khan Yunis “above and below the ground” as Israeli troops clash with terrorists and destroy over 100 tunnel shafts in the area,” the Israeli TV channel i24NEWS said. “The IDF says to have discovered a tunnel connected to the heart of the city’s civilians infrastructure where hostages had been held.”
The IDF says fighting continues against Hamas in southern Gaza's Khan Younis and Maghazi in the Strip's center.
In one incident in Maghazi, the IDF says troops of the Golani Brigade spotted three Hamas gunmen coming out of a tunnel. They were then struck by an aircraft.
In… pic.twitter.com/9v5OaX4Et3
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) January 11, 2024
Meanwhile, the Israeli security forces also struck at terrorist leadership in the Palestinian Authority-controlled West Bank.
A senior member of Islamic Jihad's branch in the northern West Bank village of Jabaa who is identified as Majdi Fashafsheh, died clashing with Israeli forces earlier today. pic.twitter.com/sqIfQ4VIKB
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) January 11, 2024
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Comments
How about flooding the tunnels with Nitrous oxide (N2O; laughing gas) ? This has lots of industrial uses and is probably readily available in Israel.
That would not be practical most of the time. Delivery of just the right dose of Nitrous oxide is unlikely unless they know and close off a defined volume. Too much nitrous oxide will kill.
That is not a possible if the correct air N2O mixture is used, and it could propagate through the tunnels rapidly.
We’re seeing brave and intelligent men taking on a dangerous task to save lives, and I hope for their success.
On an aside, half of the tactics involved are psychological. By saying they are flooding the tunnels, that makes terrorists move to different areas, which can be tracked and uncover tunnels that may have remained hidden. There are probably a hundred little tricks that we never hear about (for good reason).
All of this extensive and sophisticated terrorism infrastructure, materiel and weapons bought by the Arab Muslim “Palestinian” leadership in Gaza is how hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign aid money have been squandered over the past several decades — money that could have been used to build civilian infrastructure, social services and the foundation for a prosperous and independent economy.
But, don’t expect any criticism from the vile, European leftist dhimmis and American Dhimmi-crats, over Gazans’ own foolish choices, fanatical ideological hatred and self-inflicted miseries.
No more aid to any country hosting terrorists. Especially Pales, let them eat and drink concrete.
I think that may be where the San Francisco Board of Supervisors holds its secret meetings.
I reconnected with and old “Jewish friend” last week
When I told her how much I had been thinking of her since Oct 7
She told me that she felt sorry for the Palestinians, what Israel was doing to them
It blew my mind. Haven’t seen or heard from her in 2 decades…
She told
Me she was more”spiritual “ than Jewish anymore
Living in Blue northern New Mexico will do that to you.
Apparently it also makes you nuts…
I don’t think we can be friends, which is so sad as I was so happy when
She reached out to
Me, from an old text I sent her. You think about people and somehow they walk back into your life.
Definitely something not in my pay grade how that happens
Maybe it was to let go, because she had been in my thoughts before, often….
Once upon a time we had been close…then she had an affair and the shit hit the fan. Off she went to New Mexico,
Her 3 sons a mess but now recovered, her ex, who I adored, felt he had to
Leave his past , friends behind. Not his sons, great dad, but somehow seeing old good friends was too
Much.
It changed so much for my
Family as we did everything with them…
I have to deal with enough woke people and I know from that conversation she probably is woke about so much.
Tired of dancing around topics with people.
Time to just wish the past goodbye and good luck..
Right. Apparently it’s anti-Jewish Jews vs. Pro-Jewish Jews.
“…the IDF says troops of the Golani Brigade spotted three Hamas gunmen coming out of a tunnel. They were then struck by an aircraft.”
Pay attention, kiddies — always look both ways before crossing a runway.
After reading about the mixture Israel is using to burn out tunnels, it occurred me that Napalm with a added oxidizer, even high nitrogen fertilizer would create one hell of a shock wave in a tunnel.
Incidentally, N2O can act as an oxidizer.
It would take months -years even- to destroy such an elaborate tunnel system. Which indicates that the IDF isn’t leaving anytime soon.
It would appear that a significant proportion of the aid given Gaza in the last 20 years has gone to build the tunnel system. So much for kvetching about poverty in Gaza.
I wonder if the IDF has found any plans for the tunnel system. If they have, that information will probably be shared among as few people as possible. IDF is not likely to inform me. 🙂
Given how the tunnel system and Hamas are embedded within practically every block in Gaza, it is not surprising how Gaza has been turned to rubble in the process of destroying the tunnel system and in fighting Hamas.
One video said that the IDF now controls North Gaza. A previous video said that rockets have been launched from North Gaza. Oh well.
I am surprised that for all the time that the IDF appears to be spending in the tunnels, there have been few reported incidents of ambushes or booby traps. Maybe more than the press has been told.
When and if Hamas has been destroyed, nearly all of Gaza will also have been destroyed. That will entail a hellacious amount of construction. Too bad we couldn’t send them to Iran.
I have my doubts that the IDF will catch the top Hamas honchos. Such an elaborate tunnel system must have an escape hatch to Egypt. Two hundred feet underground (60 meters) for several miles…..
Anybody recognize that shooting technique “senior member” Majdi Fashafsheh is demonstrating with the M4 in Joe Truzman’s X post? I must have missed the day at the range when they taught the “jaw weld/for Allah’s sake don’t let the butt stock near your shoulder” stance. I certainly hope senior commander Mr. Fashafsheh taught it to all his Hamas-hole subordinates before the Israelis offed him.
Has anyone else noticed that Hamas and other terrorist organizations (yes, I know this joker isn’t Hamas) are fielding a lot of U. S. weapons since Biden decided to abandon them in Afghanistan?