The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Thursday that they have successfully neutralized 130 entrances to Hamas tunnels in Gaza since the commencement of the conflict on October 7.
In a statement released on X, the IDF revealed that their combat engineers are actively engaged in the task of uncovering and eliminating Hamas's underground infrastructure, including the extensive tunnel network. The discovery of water and oxygen storage within these tunnels indicates Hamas's intentions for prolonged subterranean activities.
The IDF's relentless efforts have resulted in the destruction of 130 tunnel entrances to date. In a separate announcement made on the previous evening, the IDF reported the demolition of a Hamas tunnel in close proximity to a school sponsored by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Beit Hanoun region of northern Gaza. A video, captured by a drone camera, was shared as evidence of the tunnel's destruction.
Furthermore, as the ground operation in the Gaza Strip expands, the IDF is actively dismantling Hamas's terrorist infrastructure. The extensive network of tunnels under Gaza, primarily recognized for their role in smuggling goods from Egypt and launching attacks into Israel, is also accompanied by a secondary underground system colloquially referred to as the "Gaza metro."
This labyrinth of tunnels, located several kilometres below the surface, serves various functions, including transportation, storage of rockets and ammunition, and housing of Hamas command and control centres. These activities occur away from the prying eyes of the IDF's aircraft and surveillance drones, as reported by CNN.
Hamas previously claimed to have constructed approximately 500 kilometres of tunnels beneath Gaza in 2021, although the accuracy of this figure remains uncertain. If validated, Hamas's tunnel network would encompass a length of tunnels approximately half the size of the New York City subway system.
(With agency inputs)
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