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Israel war 2023
Published October 29, 2023, 12:35 PM ET
A dramatic new video released by Israel on Sunday shows Hamas using its greatest advantage over the Israeli army – a remarkably complex maze of tunnels – to transport terrorists and weapons through Gaza.
The chilling footage also features Hamas political leader Yahya Sinwar touting the extensive reach of the 300-mile underground network and boasting that it is full of “hundreds and thousands of traps.”
The Israel Defense Forces, which released the video, described the booby-trapped tunnels as a cowardly tactic by Hamas to hide behind “millions of civilians,” as several of their entrances are in homes, schools, mosques and hospitals.
The IDF has vowed to decimate the network ahead of an expected full-scale invasion of Gaza to destroy the terrorist group and rescue more than 200 hostages.
“The destruction of Hamas means the destruction of its tunnel network of terror,” the IDF said.
The tunnel systems were first discovered in 2006 and were primarily used to circumvent the Israeli blockade of Gaza when Hamas first came to power.
Hamas has turned a 300-mile network of tunnels under Gaza into a well-oiled system for transporting weapons and terrorists.Portal Yahya Sinwar, the political leader of Hamas, claims there are thousands of booby traps under Gaza targeting Israeli forces. IDF/X
Although the secret system brought much-needed aid to the more than two million Palestinians living in Gaza, it was soon turned into a military weapon by Hamas to launch attacks against Israel.
Parts of the tunnels can be up to 130 feet deep, allowing members of the terrorist group to quickly find refuge from Israeli airstrikes.
According to the Washington Post, the IDF has previously taken journalists on tours of parts of the tunnels it has taken over, showing them to be sophisticated structures with concrete walls, electricity and carts.
At least some of the tunnels are said to have entrances from schools, civilian housing, mosques and hospitals – a scenario in which Hamas knowingly sacrifices Palestinian civilians to further its twisted cause. IDF / X In an undated photo, a Hamas fighter stands in one of the tunnel rooms. IDF/X
According to Bruce Hoffman, an expert at the US Council on Foreign Relations, the tunnels are likely where Hamas is holding hostages kidnapped during the group’s Oct. 7 terror attack in Israel.
According to a CFR briefing earlier this month, Hoffman warned that the IDF will likely face an onslaught of traps in the tunnels and may find that even the hostages themselves may be booby-trapped.
Despite the dangers, the IDF could use a new weapon called “sponge bombs” to turn the tunnels into a major disadvantage for Hamas.
The tunnels are where Hamas weapons are stored and where hostages are believed to be held. IDF/X The network can be up to 130 feet deep and allows terrorists to evade airstrikes. IDF/X
The new bombs are made of chemical compounds that expand and harden quickly when thrown, allowing Israeli soldiers to block passages in the tunnel.
The device would reportedly provide no escape for Hamas militants and allow Israeli commandos to secure safe routes while searching for hostages.
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