Israeli soldiers secure the opening of a tunnel near the border with Israel in the north of the Gaza Strip on December 15, 2023. According to the Israeli Defense Forces, this is the largest tunnel they have found so far in the enclave. The branches stretch for more than four kilometers and reach from the Erez border crossing to a depth of 400 meters. (Amir Levy/Getty Images)
Israeli forces say they have discovered the “largest Hamas tunnel” in Gaza, measuring four kilometers long.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the tunnel, which was secured “a few weeks ago” but opened to the public this Sunday, is wide enough for a large vehicle to pass through, up to 50 meters underground sufficient and equipped with electricity. , ventilation and communication systems.
It does not cross Israel but, according to the IDF, ends 400 meters from the now closed Erez border crossing on the northern border between Israel and Gaza.
The tunnel is part of Hamas' “strategic infrastructure” and will be destroyed, according to the IDF.
In a video shared by the IDF, the Israeli military claimed the tunnel was created for the movements of Hamas militants and as a starting point for attacks.
Footage shared by the IDF and allegedly filmed by Hamas to show the construction of the tunnel shows a large vehicle entering the tunnel and a makeshift railway inside.
CNN could not independently verify the images or the IDF claims.
In a statement on Sunday, the IDF claimed that the tunnel system was a project of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's brother, Muhammad Sinwar. The IDF provided no evidence to support this claim.
What you need to know about the Gaza Tunnels: The countless tunnels beneath Gaza are best known as passageways used to smuggle goods from Egypt and launch attacks against Israel.
Known colloquially as the “Gaza subway,” the vast maze of tunnels is also used to transport people and goods, store rockets and ammunition depots, and house Hamas command and control centers, all protected from the prying eyes of aircraft and the IDF -Surveillance drones.
In 2021, Hamas claimed to have built 500 kilometers (311 miles) of tunnels under the Gaza Strip, although it is unclear whether this figure was accurate or a lie. If true, Hamas's underground tunnels would be almost half the length of New York's subway system.
During its offensive into the area, the IDF claims it has uncovered “hundreds of terrorist tunnel shafts throughout the Gaza Strip” and says it is working to “locate and destroy dozens of attack tunnel routes.”
Methods of flooding Hamas tunnels have recently been tried.
CNN's Joshua Berlinger contributed to this report