The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) uncovered one of Gaza’s most complex underground Hamas infrastructures, stretching 7 kilometers beneath the southern city of Rafah. The tunnel network, which runs around 25 meters deep, is described as one of the largest and most sophisticated systems used by the group. It includes 80 rooms, serving as a command center, weapons storage, and a shelter for operatives. The structure was built to evade detection and was originally beneath a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) compound before expanding under civilian areas, including mosques and schools.
Analysts suggest the demolition of this network marks a turning point in the Israel-Gaza conflict. Professor Kobi Michael of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and the Misgav Institute emphasized that Hamas’s underground infrastructure is critical to its operations.