Army uncovers Gaza Strip tunnel
IDF soldiers discover tunnel dug from garbage dump in Beit Hanun area to Erez crossing area, near Israeli communities; defense establishment officials estimate tunnel intended for smuggling terrorists from Strip to Israel
Defense establishment officials estimated that the tunnel was dug in order to smuggle terrorists from the Gaza Strip into Israel. The entrance to the tunne on the Palestinian side was apparently built in a local garbage dump.
Army uncovers Gaza tunnel (Video: IDF Spokesperson’s Office)
IDF forces also uncovered excavation tools and estimate work on the tunnel was going on for several weeks now.
"The determination in uncovering the tunnel prevented a terror attack in Israeli territory," IDF Southern Command Head Yoav Galant said as he lauded the troops who made the discovery.
Commander of the Gaza Strip Northern Brigade, Colonel Moni Katz, told Ynet in response to the publication that information on the tunnel had been conveyed to the Palestinians a long time ago, but the Palestinian Authority did not deal with the matter.
"Once again we see an exploitation of facilities intended for the Palestinians' welfare by the terror organizations," he said.
Persistent threat
Katz said excavation work on the tunnel was still ongoing and estimated terrorists intended to dig further so the tunnel reaches into Israeli territory. At this point, the IDF official refused to reveal which terror group was behind the operation.
"The tunnel threat against Israel existed before the IDF's departure from the Strip…I estimate that in the future there will be further attempts to dig tunnels from the Strip in the direction of Israel," he said.
The tunnel's discovery was only a matter of time, with defense officials certain that the strong defenses on the Israel-Gaza border would push terror groups to return to the tunnel modus operandi.
Several days ago, a senior Southern Command official noted the difficulties inherent in digging tunnels from Gaza, particularly because many areas in the Strip are under close monitoring by the IDF, which earlier removed large areas of vegetation in the framework of its battle against terrorists.
Still, the Palestinians were able to undertaken the complex operation and dig a tunnel that was only uncovered in the last minute.
The underground tunnels were previously a common pattern of activity on the Israel-Egypt border and were mostly used to smuggle in weapons. In the past two years, the tunnels were also being used to carry out attacks, by allowing terrorists to infiltrate and approach IDF posts, and also by placing powerful explosive devices under IDF positions in the Strip.
