Hamas built an extensive warren of underground tunnels throughout the Gaza Strip, with access points located in homes, mosques, schools and even hospitals, bringing the fighting (and ensuing damage) to the heart of the civilian surroundings.
When thinking about a
terrorist tunnel, it’s easy to picture a small hole, dug with shovels and
pickaxes.But for these tunnels, it’s
closer to a subway.
The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday revealed the largest-ever Hamas attack tunnel discovered by the military, in the northern Gaza Strip, close to the Erez border crossing with Israel. The section of the tunnel
that is exposed here is well over four kilometers (2.5 miles) and reaches up to 50
meters deep. That’s the height of the Statue of Liberty.
This was a project
overseen and led by the Sinwar family which costs millions. Like other strategic tunnels in Gaza, the tunnel near Erez
Crossing is equipped with electricity, ventilation, and communication networks,
displaying the typical concrete ribbing from other tunnels in Gaza.
Blast doors are spread
throughout the tunnel to fight, section by section, and weapons were recovered
from within the tunnel.
In a press conference Sunday night, IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the tunnel was “no ordinary tunnel. It’s a city. A terrorist city underground that Hamas dug and built instead of investing money in the residents of Gaza.”
Hamas does not provide any protection for its population, and is actively preventing civilians from protecting themselves. Hamas has not provided any protection or safety measures for the Gazan population from the ravages of war. Instead, it has openly said that its tunnels are only for its fighters, and that it has no responsibility for protecting Gazans. Shockingly, Hamas is making every effort to keep civilians in areas of hostilities. It has openly called on the civilian population to ignore IDF warnings and recommendations to temporarily evacuate, it has set up roadblocks to stop people from leaving dangerous areas, threatened individuals not to leave, and, according to some reports, shot civilians trying to leave so as to deter others. In doing so, Hamas directly endangers its own population.
Imagine what Hamas could have accomplished for the people of
Gaza if they invested in them instead of investing in terror.