Israel Struggles to Destroy Hamas Tunnels

The Wall Street Journal reports that 80% of Hamas's tunnels under Gaza remain intact

US and Israeli officials believe about 80% of Hamas’ tunnels under Gaza are still intact after over three months of Israel’s relentless bombing campaign, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

The report is another sign that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s goal of wanting to “eradicate” Hamas is unrealistic as the tunnels are a key part of the group’s infrastructure.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz recently reported that sources within the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said they would be unable to destroy most Hamas tunnels and that the underground network is significantly larger than Israel initially thought.

According to The New York Times, Israel previously estimated there were 100 miles of tunnels below Gaza. But now, they estimate the tunnel network is up to 450 miles in length.

Israel has flooded some of the tunnels with water, but the strategy was not as effective as they hoped. US officials told the Journal that in some areas, unexpected barriers slowed or stopped the flow of water altogether.

There are also signs the Israeli military has flooded some tunnels with poison gas. The bodies of three Israeli hostages were found in Hamas tunnels by the Israeli military, and the mother of one of the victims alleged they were killed by Israeli forces pumping poison gas, citing a toxicology report.

“Ron was indeed murdered,” wrote Dr. Maayan Sherman, a veterinarian and mother of Ron Sherman, an Israeli soldier who was taken hostage in Gaza on October 7 and found dead in the tunnels. “Not by Hamas … not by stray bullets and not in an exchange of fire. This was deliberate murder. Bombing with poison gas.”

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.