IDF Neutralizes Hamas Tunnels Extending Into Israeli Territory

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Saturday the destruction of three significant Hamas attack tunnels in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza, including a passage that extended several hundred meters into Israeli territory. This operation marked a surprising development for both residents of border communities and journalists, as the IDF had previously asserted that no Gaza Strip tunnels had crossed into Israel following the completion of Israel’s underground border barrier in 2021.

The most notable of the tunnels, discovered in 2019 amid the construction of the new border defense, had been under close Israeli surveillance and control. Equipped with sensors and explosives for potential IDF use, this tunnel was part of a targeted effort against Hamas’ extensive underground network. Despite being hit multiple times during recent conflicts, the tunnel, along with others, was only fully neutralized in the past few weeks.

One of the other tunnels, initially uncovered a decade ago and again targeted during the 2021 Gaza war, was taken out of operational use early in the current conflict and subsequently destroyed. The third tunnel, dating back to 2014 and previously extending into Israeli territory, had also been dismantled, with recent efforts focusing on sections deeper within Gaza.

The IDF’s ongoing ground offensive, initiated in response to the Hamas-led October 7 massacres that killed approximately 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and led to the abduction of 253 individuals, aims to dismantle Hamas’ complex tunnel system. According to estimates provided to The New York Times by senior Israeli defense officials in January, this network spans an astonishing 350 to 400 miles, supported by over 5,700 shafts, and constructed using more than 6,000 tons of concrete and 1,800 tons of steel. The financial investment by Hamas into this project is believed to be in the tens of millions of dollars.