Israeli security forces have uncovered a secret 150-meter tunnel in Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) revealed on Wednesday.
The tunnel was dug from the Gaza Strip in the direction of the Karni Crossing and was intended to be used to carry out a large-scale terror attack, possibly at the crossing, the army said.
The entrance to the tunnel was found in a house in the Shaja’iyya neighborhood.
Karni is a cargo terminal on the east side of the Gaza Strip, connecting Gaza to Israel.
The army has periodically closed the Karni crossing over the past few months, citing security concerns. The crossing has been used in the past by armed Palestinian groups to carry out attacks against Israelis.
Israeli forces are operating in Shuja’iyya in a bid to clamp down on terror groups and uncover tunnels. Palestinian medical sources say at least 18 people have been killed since Saturday, including both armed and unarmed civilians.
Meanwhile, hundreds of unemployed Palestinian clashed with Palestinian police forces outside the offices of the Palestinian parliament in Gaza on Tuesday. The protesters managed to storm into the building and threw stones, demanding jobs, the Palestinian daily Al-Hayyat Al-Jadida reported.
These are said to be the most violent demonstrations since Hamas came to power in January.
As international aid to the Palestinian Authority has mostly been frozen, many civil servants have not received salaries in months, while unemployment in the Palestinian territories remains rife.