Tunnel diggers could be heard until night before discovery — report

The Kan broadcaster reports that voices could still be heard Monday night inside a tunnel the military discovered running from Gaza into Israel.

According to the report, the voices set off an underground system meant to block tunnels or alert authorities to their existence.

However, the IDF seemingly knew about the tunnel hours earlier on Monday, though it attempted to act coy by only referring to an “engineering operation” on the Gaza border.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz writes in a tweet that the tunnel was only discovered this morning.

“Even when it seems quiet in the south, under the ground terror groups are not letting up their efforts to hurt Israel’s citizens and its sovereignty,” he says.

גם בימים שנראה שהדרום שקט- מתחת לפני השטח ארגוני הטרור לא חודלים ממאמציהם לפגוע באזרחי ישראל ובריבונותה. כוחות צה"ל ממשיכים בפעילות הנחושה מול איומי הטרור, וגילו היום מנהרת טרור משמעותית שחדרה לשטח ישראל אך לא חצתה את המכשול שהקמנו. pic.twitter.com/3FrDJ23Fs5

— בני גנץ – Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) October 20, 2020

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacts to the news by saying that Israel is acting determinedly to protect its citizens, in an uncharacteristically terse statement. Gantz, who leads the Blue and White party, is among his chief rivals.