(Communicated by the IDF Spokesperson)

On October 7, IDF soldiers discovered the opening of a tunnel built by Gazan terrorists near Israeli civilian communities. The tunnel is approximately 18 meters underground and extends 1.7 kilometers. This is the third such tunnel found along the Gaza-Israel security fence in the past year.

Such smuggling tunnels have been used by terrorists in the past to execute attacks against civilians and military personnel. In 2006, a deadly terror attack took place while IDF soldiers engaged in a routine patrol in an armored vehicle. Armed terrorists infiltrated Israel through a smuggling tunnel killing two soldiers and taking hostage a third – Gilad Shalit.

Brig. Gen. Mickey Edelstein, Commander of the Gaza Division: “The IDF operates on the assumption that there are additional tunnels jeopardizing civilians and security personnel in the area”.

The tunnel was built with approximately 500 tons of cement and concrete. Hamas and other terror organizations in the Gaza Strip invest millions of dollars and resources in order to operate a thriving network of illegal tunnels leading into Israel. Sufficient evidence suggests that terrorists methodically abuse construction materials transferred into Gaza by Israel as humanitarian aid in order to build such tunnels.

Brig. Gen. Mickey Edelstein, Commander of the Gaza Division: “The IDF holds the Hamas terror organization as the sole responsible body for all terror activities emanating from the Gaza Strip, and continues to operate on the intelligence and operational levels in order to apprehend terror attacks.”