Reuters: Israel says it uncovered 800 shafts to Hamas tunnels below Gaza
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli forces have found 800 shafts leading to Hamas' vast subterranean network of tunnels and bunkers since a Gaza ground operation began on Oct 27, and have destroyed more than half of them, the military said on Sunday.
The Palestinian Islamist group said before the now eight-week-old war in the Gaza Strip that it had hundreds of kilometres of tunnels - a network comparable in size to the New York subway system - to protect and serve as operational bases.
That has made them prime targets for Israeli air strikes with penetrating munitions and army engineers using mapping robots and exploding gel that can be poured into the passages.
"The tunnel shafts were located in civilian areas, many of which were near or inside civilian buildings and structures, such as schools, kindergartens, mosques and playgrounds," the military said in a statement on Sunday.
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WNU Editor: I do not know why the IDF is surprised. Hamas had years to prepare these tunnels .... IDF Faces 'Surprising' Strength and Sophistication of Hamas Tunnels in Gaza (Newsweek).
IDF Says It Has Uncovered 800 Hamas Tunnel Shafts Since The Start Of The War
IDF says 800 tunnels discovered in Gaza op, 500 destroyed or sealed -- Times of Israel
IDF uncovers 800 Hamas tunnel shafts since start of war, destroys 500 -- Jerusalem Post
IDF Reports Locating Over 800 Hamas Tunnel Shafts In Gaza Schools And Mosques -- I24NEWS
IDF locates Hamas tunnel shaft in school courtyard -- FOX News
the IDF was hardly surprised. They have long known that arms smuggled into Gaza via tunnels and that rockets located in tunnels under civilian places to be used when wanted. Israel prepared for this by developing the tunnel door sealer that explodes into a seal for the openings of tunnels.
ReplyDeletethey have long known about the tunnels but now they are exploring and elimination, with trained dogs etc since many places boobytrapped.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday reported locating over 800 Hamas's tunnel shafts across Gaza since the start of the ground operation in the Strip. The troops are said to have destroyed about 500 shafts by blocking or exploding them.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the IDF statement, many of the shafts were discovered hidden in the civilian infrastructure: at schools, kindergartens, playgrounds and mosques. The tunnel entries are said to be critical in connecting terrorists' strategic assets.
yes years to prepare them and millions of dollars to do it courtesy of idiot western governments
ReplyDeleteWestern govt? no. Turkey and Qatar
ReplyDelete