Nine months into Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza, a sobering reality has emerged: much of the terror group's extensive tunnel network remains intact and operational.
According to the report, Hamas tunnels are in "good functional state" across various parts of Gaza, including:
- Central Gaza refugee camps
- Most of Rafah in the south
- Shejaiya in the north
- Parts of Khan Younis, where damaged tunnels have been repaired
The assessment paints a concerning picture of Hamas's continued capabilities. Despite focused IDF efforts, particularly in Rafah, functional tunnels still allow terror operatives to approach the Israeli border. Only a few routes along the Philadelphi Corridor, separating Gaza from Egypt, have been destroyed.
Perhaps most alarming is the report's conclusion that, were the war to end now, "Hamas still has the capacity to organize an incursion close to the border and perhaps even across it," though not on the scale of the October 7 attack.
This persistence of the tunnel network is particularly troubling for civil defense squads in Israeli border communities, who were among the first responders during the October 7 massacre. They are calling for the neutralization of tunnels to be given top priority.
The scale of the challenge is immense. Senior Israeli defense officials estimated in January that Hamas's tunnel network spans between 350 and 450 miles – a staggering figure given Gaza's total area of only 140 square miles. Experts warn that dismantling this complex system could take years, complicated by the need to map tunnels, check for booby traps, and ensure no hostages are present before destruction.
Despite these challenges, military chiefs reportedly still support pausing the offensive if a hostage deal can be negotiated with Hamas, citing the war's achievements to date.
* The Times of Israel contributed to this article.
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