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Steven Emerson,
Executive Director
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April 18, 2016
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Underground
Hamas Tunnels Continue to Threaten Israeli Civilians
by IPT News • Apr 18, 2016 at
10:46 am
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The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) discovered a cross-border tunnel leading
into Israel from the Gaza Strip, proving that Hamas maintains underground
terrorist infrastructure dedicated to the kidnapping and murder of Israeli
civilians.
"The IDF and security forces thwarted a serious disaster...it is
important to note that, this single tunnel had one goal: to murder innocent
women and children in Israel," Yair Lapid, head of the Yesh Atid
party, said Sunday.
Lapid also referred to the existence of underground tunnels as an
equivalent to a "land invasion of Israel."
The tunnel stretched about 30 yards into Israel, opening up near a
farming community. "The working assumption is that this is not the
only tunnel penetrating into Israel, that there are others," said IDF
spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner.
The tunnel reportedly dates back to the summer 2014 war
between Israel and Hamas, suggesting that Israel failed to destroy all of
the offensive tunnels under its territory. Yet this discovery also suggests
that technological means incorporated in Israel's counter-tunnel efforts
are somewhat effective.
Since the war ended, Hamas has openly invested significant amounts of
resources to the reconstruction of its offensive tunnel capabilities. The
terrorist organization devotes roughly 1,000 operatives – working 24 hours
a day, six days a week – and millions of dollars per month solely on its
underground tunnel network.
During the 2014 war, Hamas sent 13 heavily armed terrorists through a similar
tunnel that opened near a kibbutz, hoping to launch a major attack on
Israelis. The IDF detected the attempt and was able to kill many of the
terrorists.
Despite some Israeli successes in combatting Hamas' underground
activities, this latest development suggests that activity continues
undetected. Israel's military and intelligence agencies are constantly
trying to expose the tunnels. IDF bulldozers continue working at the Gaza
border, searching for other offensive tunnels dug into Israeli territory.
Covert attempts at stifling Hamas' activities also play an important
role. Palestinian reports claim that a Hamas operative is being
interrogated by the Shin Bet, Israel's domestic intelligence service, after
crossing into Israel.
According to IDF assessments, Hamas will try to gain control of an Israeli border town through its tunnels
in an attempt to kidnap Israeli civilians as hostages. Moreover, the
terrorist organization will continue digging tunnels in an effort to
overcome its military inferiority with Israel.
A recent World Bank report confirms that only 9 percent of Gaza homes
destroyed in the 2014 war have been rebuilt, confirming that Hamas
continues to divert cement and reconstruction material to rebuild
its terrorist infrastructure at the expense of its civilian population.
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