The military reveals it has uncovered a “terror tunnel” dug in the Gaza Strip that ran dozens of meters into Israeli territory.
The Israel Defense Forces says following an “indication” from the barrier system it is installing on the border, military engineers located the concrete-lined tunnel near the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.
“The route [of the tunnel] was located as part of the ongoing efforts to find and neutralize tunnels and thanks to the technological and [intelligence] collection capabilities of the barrier,” the IDF says in a statement.
It says the tunnel did not reach far enough into Israel to reach an underground barrier being built beneath the border area and did not pose a threat to communities in the area.
This photo provided by the Israel Defense Forces on October 20, 2020 shows a soldier operating along the border with the southern Gaza Strip, after a tunnel entering Israeli territory was found in the area. (Israel Defense Forces)
The statement doesn’t specify who dug the tunnel, but the IDF reiterates it holds the Hamas terror group responsible as the Palestinian enclave’s ruler.
“The IDF is determined to defend Israel’s sovereignty and the security of its citizens and will continue to act against terror — above and below ground — in every area where it may be required,” the military says.
The announcement comes a day after the IDF restricted access to the southern Gaza border area due to what it said was an unspecified “engineering operation.” It stressed there was no danger to residents of the area and on Monday night eased the security restrictions.
— Alex Fulbright
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