Watch: This is how the IDF Located the Bodies of the Abductees in Gaza

tunnel with abductees (Photo: IDF spokesman)

The IDF revealed (Sunday) the underground infrastructure where 5 bodies of abductees were kept and announced that the military force destroyed an underground headquarters in Jabalia.

According to a statement from the IDF spokesman, in recent weeks, the military forces gained an operational grip on the area of the Jabalia refugee camp - one of the centers of gravity of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The fighting in the refugee camp included fierce battles in which many terrorists were eliminated and hundreds of weapons were found.

Yahalom fighters on the underground route (Video: IDF spokesman)

As part of the operation and following preliminary intelligence, the IDF notes that the forces uncovered a network of strategic tunnels that served as the northern headquarters of Hamas in Gaza. The underground headquarters includes two levels - the first is about 10 meters deep and the second is tens of meters deep.

Exposing the tunnels where hostages were held (Video: IDF spokesman)

According to the IDF, the network of tunnels included many branches and was used for combat management and the passage of terrorists. In the depths of the military headquarters weapons were found as well as infrastructure for the production of weapons and rooms for emergencies. The network was connected to a shaft that reached the house of the commander of the northern division of Hamas, Ahmed Andor. An underground network went under the grounds of a school and a hospital, using them as a shield.

It was also reported that as part of an intelligence effort, led by Unit 504 in the Intelligence Division, the fighters located and rescued the bodies of five abductees from October 7 and brought them to an Israeli burial: Sergeant Major Ziv Dado, z"l, Sergeant Ron Sherman, z"l, Corporal Nick Beiser, z"l, Eden Zechariah, z"l, and Elia Toledano, z"l.

The findings were presented to the families by IDF representatives. We share in their grief and accompany them. The IDF, in cooperation with the other security organizations, continue to operate in a variety of intelligence and operational measures to return the abductees.

At the end of the mission, the forces destroyed the underground headquarters. The destruction of the headquarters in Jabalia is part of the effort to deal with Hamas's tunnel infrastructure and harm its senior commanders and strategic capabilities. This effort continues all the time, and is now also being carried out in Khan Yunis and the south of the Gaza Strip.