On the 72nd day of the Swords of Iron War, IDF forces continue to deepen their control of the Gaza Strip, today (Sunday) the IDF spokesman announces that the fighters have uncovered the largest terror tunnel ever revealed, a project built under the leadership of Mahmad Sinwar in the northern Gaza Strip.
The maximum depth exposed is about 50 meters. The IDF uncovered over 4 km of the tunnel's route, with the nearest shaft reaching 400 meters from the Erez crossing, from which many Gazans entered Israel for medical treatment in recent years.
The IDF Spokesperson stated: "The fighters of the Yahalom Unit, infantry forces, special units and the engineering forces of the Gaza Division, have been operating in recent weeks as part of an operation led by the Northern Brigade in the Gaza Division, using advanced intelligence and technological means, to uncover, scan and identify the route of the strategic tunnel of the terrorist organization Hamas which did not cross into Israeli territory. The ground maneuver, through intelligence operations in the field, provided a lot of information about the terror tunnels project of Hamas, and helped to deepen the knowledge and mapping about it.
"The nearest shaft of the tunnel is located about 400 meters from the Erez crossing, which has been used for the passage of laborers, merchants, and patients for medical treatment in Israel in recent years. The route has several branches and splits that form a wide and branched network of tunnels. Along the route are sewage, electricity, communication infrastructures and telephony, as well as the side doors which were designed to prevent the entry of IDF forces. The tunnel allows the movement of vehicles inside it and many weapons of the terrorist organization Hamas were found in it. The tunnel construction project included a team of dozens of terrorists who came especially for its construction from Khan Yunis to the north of the Gaza Strip.
"In the construction of the terror tunnel, materials that have not been seen so far in the tactical tunnels of the terrorist organization Hamas were used, as well as the use of special digging machines that were smuggled into the Gaza Strip, according to estimates, Hamas invested millions of dollars in the underground layout throughout the Gaza Strip. From the tunnel, offensive actions were launched against our forces during the fighting in the Gaza Strip. A few days ago, terrorists were also identified in the tunnel, who were eliminated by IDF forces."
