Released Israeli Captive Warns of Ongoing Hamas Tunnel Threat
Recently freed hostage Tal Shoham revealed Saturday that Hamas has continued expanding its extensive underground tunnel network in Gaza despite Israel’s military operations in the enclave, underscoring ongoing security concerns months into the conflict.
Shoham was abducted by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, while visiting his wife’s parents at Kibbutz Be’eri, along with his wife Adi and their two young children, Yahel and Naveh. His wife and children were released during a ceasefire in November 2023, but Shoham himself remained captive for 505 days, finally freed on February 22, 2025.
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In an interview aired Saturday evening by Fox News, Shoham described his harrowing ordeal, recalling that upon surrendering to terrorists in a bid to protect his family, he was paraded through Gaza streets, mocked by crowds. He spent the first 50 days unaware of his family’s fate, enduring severe psychological torment. Shoham recounted having to mentally prepare himself by imagining their funerals as a way to cope with the trauma.
While imprisoned underground from June 2024 until his release, Shoham witnessed firsthand Hamas’ ongoing tunnel operations. He told Fox News: “Hamas never stopped digging tunnels. Not for a single day.” His captors, responsible for expanding the tunnel network, worked continuously, confirming earlier Israeli military assessments that Hamas’ extensive infrastructure remained operational.
The tunnels, which Israeli defense officials estimated in early 2024 to span 350 to 450 miles, include approximately 5,700 entry shafts. Despite months of Israeli airstrikes aimed at disabling Hamas infrastructure, many tunnels reportedly remain functional or have been rapidly repaired.
