The Israel Defense Forces announced the discovery and destruction of a significant Hamas tunnel in Rafah, located near the border crossing with Egypt.
This tunnel, spanning 2 kilometers, was allegedly used by Hamas for smuggling weapons into the Gaza Strip. The IDF uncovered multiple tunnel shafts in the area, leading to the discovery of this underground route.
Inside the tunnel, troops found weapons, explosives, and intelligence materials. The tunnel was part of a broader network dug by Hamas, with the IDF locating around 20 tunnels crossing into Egypt. Despite efforts by Egypt to thwart these tunnels over the years, Hamas has continued to use them for smuggling purposes.
The Israel Defense Forces announced the discovery and destruction of a significant Hamas tunnel near the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. The tunnel, allegedly used by Hamas to smuggle weapons into Gaza, was located during ongoing IDF operations in the region. The tunnel, approximately 2 kilometers long, was part of a network of passages dug by Hamas.
Additionally, the IDF reported gaining operational control over areas in central Gaza after launching a new offensive. The operations targeted terror group infrastructure and resulted in the killing of several gunmen.
Meanwhile, the estimated cost of a temporary aid pier off the coast of Gaza, intended to supplement aid deliveries, was revised downwards from $320 million to $230 million, according to the US Defense Department. The pier has faced setbacks, including damage and halting operations due to extreme weather.
The US plans to re-anchor the damaged pier off the Gaza coast by the week’s end, according to a Pentagon spokesperson.
Meanwhile, the Gaza health ministry, under Hamas control, claims that Israel’s military offensive since October 7 has resulted in the deaths of at least 36,586 Palestinians and injuries to 83,074.
However, these figures are unverified, with hospitals confirming around 24,000 fatalities. Hamas does not distinguish between combatant and civilian casualties or between those caused by Israeli actions and those resulting from Palestinian rockets.
Among the reported casualties are approximately 15,000 Hamas fighters killed in battle, with IDF have disclosed discovery of 2 km long tunnel constructed by Hamas, running parallel to Egypt border crossing in Israel also claiming to have killed around 1,000 terrorists inside its borders on October 7.
