After 114 days of conflict, up to 80 percent of Hamas’s underground tunnel system beneath the Gaza Strip may still be operational, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal on Sunday.
The Israel Defense Forces are currently engaged in intense fighting in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, with the 98th Division clashing with Hamas operatives in the region.
Simultaneously, diplomatic efforts led by the US were underway to devise a two-part plan for the release of more than 130 hostages still held in the Strip, abducted from Israel.
The proposed exchange involved a temporary ceasefire lasting up to two months.
Citing Israeli and US officials, The Journal report highlighted the challenge of assessing the extent of damage to the subterranean labyrinth.
It estimated that 20% to 40% of the tunnel network has been damaged or rendered unusable by Israeli forces.
Since launching a ground offensive following the October 7 massacre, where Hamas-led terrorists killed around 1,200 people and took 253 hostages, Israeli forces have been actively targeting and dismantling the tunnels. Various methods, including bombing and flooding, have been employed.
However, progress is slow due to the need for careful mapping, checking for traps, and ensuring the absence of hostages before destruction.
According to a senior Israeli military official cited by The Journal, the IDF’s focus is on eliminating specific “nodes” within the tunnels where Hamas operatives hide, rather than demolishing entire networks.
The official emphasized the challenging and meticulous nature of the mission, describing it as a form of urban warfare rarely witnessed on a global scale.
