The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has revealed what it describes as one of Hamas’ most complex underground infrastructures, a seven-kilometer tunnel system extending 25 meters beneath the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The network includes approximately 80 rooms and is reportedly used for command operations, weapons storage, and sheltering Hamas militants. The IDF’s release of a video documenting the tunnels highlights their strategic significance and raises questions about Hamas’ ability to operate in such areas without detection.
The video, shared on X on November 20, travels through reinforced concrete passageways and large chambers, showcasing the sophistication and scale of Hamas’ underground network. The Israeli military claims the tunnel originated beneath a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) compound and stretched beneath civilian sites, including mosques and schools. This detail adds a layer of complexity to the conflict, as it suggests Hamas has intentionally positioned its operations in areas that are difficult to target without risking civilian casualties.
Israeli analysts have emphasized the importance of this discovery in countering Hamas’ military capabilities. Professor Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and the Misgav Institute, stated that the destruction of this tunnel and many others marks a crucial step toward Hamas’ defeat. “This is an example of a root tunnel, a strategic one that feeds many tactic tunnels and is used for strategic purposes such as command and control, weapon storage, manufacturing platforms of weapons, and strategic logistics,” he explained. Such tunnels, according to Michael, are usually manned by hundreds of militants and commanders, making their destruction a significant blow to Hamas’ operational capacity.
The IDF has also highlighted that this particular tunnel network may have been connected to the area where kidnapped IDF officer Lt. Hadar Goldin was held during the 2014 Gaza war. Hamas returned Goldin’s remains earlier this month, nearly a decade after his abduction. The tunnel’s exposure has shed new light on the extent of Hamas’ underground operations, which have long been a strategic element of the group’s warfare model. In 2014, then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had emphasized his desire to destroy these tunnels, describing them as critical to Hamas’ ability to infiltrate Israeli territory.
Recent reports suggest that Hamas has been using the tunnels to hide hostages taken during its Oct. 7 attack on Israel, further linking the underground networks to the group’s ongoing operations. The IDF has stated that its ground forces have uncovered approximately 1,500 tunnels and shafts throughout the Gaza Strip. This extensive tunnel system has posed a significant challenge to Israel’s military efforts, but the continued dismantling of such infrastructure is seen as a key component of its strategy to neutralize Hamas’ threat.