Think most Gaza tunnels are gone? Think again

An Israeli security source revealed Wednesday morning that the IDF has so far managed to destroy only around 25% of Hamas' extensive tunnel network in Gaza, according to a Channel 12 News report.

The defense establishment reportedly believes that a significant number of smuggling tunnels continue to operate between Gaza and Egypt. This underground infrastructure has become a central concern for Israeli defense officials as the war enters its 18th month.

Earlier this year, Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the Philadelphi Corridor - a narrow buffer zone along the Gaza-Egypt border - would remain under tight Israeli control, similar to buffer zones maintained along the Lebanese and Syrian frontiers.

“I saw with my own eyes more than a few tunnels penetrating the Philadelphi,” Katz said. “Some are sealed, but others remain open. We had intelligence indicating that Hamas planned attacks on Israeli soldiers and communities during the ceasefire.”

According to a 2023 report in The New York Times, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar approved a $225,000 project to fortify vulnerable sections of the tunnel network with blast doors—a year before the October 7 massacre. The IDF has since shifted its focus toward tunnels within Gaza itself, which had previously been deprioritized in favor of those breaching Israel’s border.

Security experts now argue that Hamas’ subterranean network is one of the key reasons Israel has not yet succeeded in fully dismantling the terrorist organization. These tunnels provide Hamas with crucial advantages: enabling secret movement, ambushes, and a secure method of hiding hostages - many of whom remain in captivity since the October 7 attack.