By Hana Levi Julian, JEWISH PRESS 17 December 2023
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Commander of the Gaza Division and LTC Avi Rosenfeld tour a Hamas terror tunnel uncovered by IDF troops next to the Erez border crossing, in the northern area of the Gaza Strip.
The IDF released for publication on Sunday a Hamas video seized during Israeli military operations that documents the construction of the terror organization’s largest Gaza tunnel uncovered so far.
Take a look at the Hamas video showing the effort needed to build this tunnel.
The tunnel was secured by IDF forces a few weeks ago, as part of the IDF’s defensive efforts to restore security to the area, the IDF said. “There is no evidence that the tunnel extends into Israel from the Gaza Strip.”
Over the past few weeks, IDF ground forces and combat engineering forces from the Gaza Division, including soldiers from the Yahalom Unit have been conducting an extensive operation against Hamas’ terror tunnels. The unit leverages advanced technological capabilities to expose, assess, secure and dismantle Hamas terrorist tunnels.
A Quarter Mile from Erez Crossing
The tunnel, part of the “Gaza Metro” network beneath the surface of the enclave, was discovered just 400 meters (a quarter mile) from to the Erez border crossing, in the northern area of the Gaza Strip. It stretches about four kilometers long (2.5 miles) and about 50 meters (164 feet) deep. In fact, it is so big that it can accommodate the movement of vehicles. The tunnel shaft at other end of this tunnel is located near Gaza City.
The Erez Crossing was where humanitarian aid workers, diplomats and Gazans with Israeli work permits used to travel in and out of the enclave from Israel. It is now closed indefinitely.
The Gaza Metro subterranean tunnel system was a project led by Muhammad Sinwar, the brother of Gaza Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
October 7 Changed Everything, Including Gazans’ Lives
It was while collecting field intelligence material on the tunnel that IDF forces found the videos taken by Hamas documenting its construction.
Continue reading article and see more tunnel construction videos
As large and extensive as the tunnel system is, it is hard to understand how they could have built it right under Israel’s nose. Yes, we knew about the small tunnels, but look at the size and the complexity of what they were able to construct! THIS is Israel’s greatest intelligence failure.
Just think what they could have achieved if all this energy had been invested in the Israeli light rail protect, for example.
Just think about how they managed to smuggle all the things they needed into the strip. Probably, a large part legally through Israel but certainly through Egypt too.
Now Israel has to invest a lot of effort to destroy all these achievements. More importantly, the investment in Israeli lives must be accounted for too.