DLNews World at War:

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have recently divulged fresh insights into the extensive tunnel network operated by Hamas in the northern Gaza Strip. Central to this revelation is the significance of Palestine Square in the heart of Gaza City, where the IDF claims underground access was established to the "offices and residences of the political and military Hamas leadership."

Israel Defense Forces soldiers secure the Hamas mega-tunnel in Gaza.

Following the IDF's takeover of a region in Gaza City, additional details regarding the "strategic tunnel route" were uncovered, shedding light on the complexity of the network. Remarkably, the terror tunnels are not just accessible through conventional staircases; elevators have been identified, enabling swift movement within the underground system. Sometimes, the tunnels contained essential resources such as food, water, and electrical infrastructure.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant in the Hamas mega-tunnel discovered by the IDF.

The IDF emphasizes that this intricate tunnel network facilitated Hamas terrorists in both escaping and sustaining extended periods in their concealed hideouts. High-ranking Hamas officials, including Ismail Haniya, Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and others, reportedly utilized the tunnels to coordinate the organization's operational activities. Sinwar and Deif, identified as critical planners of the October 7 terrorist activities against Israel, were among those exploiting the covert passages.

Israel is blowing up tunnels.

Videos released on X (formerly Twitter) by the IDF provide a visual tour of a Hamas tunnel's entrance and infrastructure. An Israeli commander describes the surroundings near Palestine Square, highlighting the deceptive appearance of normalcy in a seemingly ordinary city. However, the commander reveals that a garage, discovered days earlier, contained an entrance to a tunnel and a workshop for tunnel construction, complete with booby traps.

Soldiers found tunnel construction materials in the garage and an entrance to the tunnel network equipped with a heavy-duty elevator for transporting materials into the depths. The tunnel even featured a telephone for communication within its depths. The commander unequivocally labels the site as a "place of terror" with no alternative explanation.

Just days before, the IDF uncovered a mega-tunnel constructed by Hamas terrorists capable of accommodating vehicles. Created by Muhammad Sinwar, brother of Hamas chief Yahiya Sinwar, this tunnel, situated a mere 400 meters from the Erez humanitarian border crossing, stands as a giant Hamas tunnel exposed in Gaza to date.

The IDF reveals that the complex tunnel network was constructed by dozens of specially trained workers from the southern Gaza Strip. These workers utilized smuggled excavation equipment to dig the tunnel, reaching depths of up to 50 meters, spanning over four kilometers, and featuring widths allowing for the passage of large vehicles.

Before construction, Hamas lined the tunnel with massive concrete arches.

Colonel Richard Hecht, the IDF's international spokesperson, highlights that this strategic attack tunnel network, led by Muhammad Sinwar, was intentionally dug near a border crossing crucial for Gazans commuting to work and seeking medical care in Israel. The tunnel, secured by the IDF weeks ago, currently shows no signs of leading from the Gaza Strip into Israel.

As part of Israel's anti-terrorism efforts in Gaza since the October 7 massacre, where Hamas terrorists brutally murdered over 1200 Israelis, the IDF continues to expose and dismantle Hamas tunnels. Many of these tunnels are constructed from reinforced concrete and equipped with electricity, ventilation, sewage systems, communication networks, and even rails. Disturbingly, some tunnels are strategically positioned beneath hospitals, schools, and kindergartens.

Of particular concern is the proximity of the mega-tunnel to the Erez border crossing, managed by the Israeli Ministry of Defense. This critical pedestrian crossing, previously attacked by Hamas before the October 7 massacre, traditionally served as a central point for Gazans entering Israel for work and humanitarian reasons.

In 2022, over 800,000 people from the Gaza Strip crossed the Erez border for various purposes, with 550,000 in the first half of 2023. Additionally, over 7,000 people from Gaza entered Israel for medical treatment in 2022, with another 5,000 receiving approval in the first half of 2023. As the IDF remains vigilant in dismantling terror tunnels, the ongoing conflict underscores the intricate challenges faced in ensuring regional security.