The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) recently announced significant progress in their operations against the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip. The IDF has discovered and neutralized over 800 tunnel openings, strategically linked to Hamas, and destroyed approximately 500 since the ground operation commenced on October 27. The methods employed by the IDF included explosives and other techniques, targeting tunnels that were connected to key Hamas assets.

A detailed statement from the IDF Spokesperson highlighted the scope of these operations: "About 500 of the tunnel shafts have been destroyed using a variety of operational methods, including explosives and blocks. Some of the tunnel shafts connected Hamas' strategic assets via the underground tunnel network. In addition, many miles of the tunnel routes have been destroyed."

Since the war on Hamas has begun, our forces found in Gaza 800 tunnel shafts, that were used by Hamas for terrorism.

500 of them were destroyed. These tunnels were dug near, or inside, schools, kindergartens, mosques and playgrounds.

Hamas uses Gazans as human shields to… pic.twitter.com/7k4QOm9rAF

— Ofir Gendelman (@ofirgendelman) December 3, 2023

The IDF's discovery revealed that many of these tunnels were located in civilian-populated areas, specifically near or inside vital community structures like schools, kindergartens, mosques, and playgrounds. This led to the IDF uncovering significant weapons caches within some tunnels. The IDF condemned Hamas for exploiting civilian areas, stating, “these findings illustrate the cynical use of the civilian population by Hamas, which uses civilians as human shields and hides its terrorist activities behind civilian infrastructure.”

Further elaborating on their approach, the IDF spokesperson said, "The tunnel shafts were located in civilian areas, many of which were near or inside civilian buildings and structures, such as schools, kindergartens, mosques, and playgrounds. After locating the shafts, IDF troops carry out thorough investigations to understand the characteristics of the tunnels and then prepare the underground route for its destruction."

Hamas tunnels | Since the beginning of the ground maneuver in the Gaza Strip, the IDF forces have located over 800 shafts of underground tunnels of the terrorist organization Hamas.

▫️ English subtitled. pic.twitter.com/78p7wU4co5

— Rubi Yona 💙🇮🇱 רובי יונה (@RubiYona) December 3, 2023

The IDF's 551st Brigade Combat Team played a crucial role in these efforts, particularly around Jabalya. They located and dismantled several Hamas tunnel shafts, including one in a school courtyard and another in a Hamas naval operative's home. The IDF troops collaborated with special forces to secure and isolate areas north of Jabalya.

Additionally, heavy bombardments were reported near Khan Younis, Gaza's second-largest city. The IDF confirmed that its jets and helicopters had struck multiple targets in Gaza in the past 24 hours, including tunnel shafts, command centers, and weapons storage facilities. The IDF also reported the elimination of five Hamas terrorists by an armed drone guided by ground troops.

Hamas, governing Gaza, is designated a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, Germany, and other countries. Their extensive underground tunnel network, a known entity to the West, was further confirmed by the discovery of a large compound underneath the Shifa hospital. This discovery corroborated Israeli intelligence, which had been supported by the United States.

Mr Beckett
“The IDF have now located 800 Hamas tunnels and shafts, discovered hidden in the civilian infrastructure: at schools, kindergartens, playgrounds and mosques” #IDFprotectingtheworld 🙏 pic.twitter.com/net5PETKp2

— Andrew Lever (@AndrewL28007198) December 3, 2023

The use of tunnels under civilian infrastructure and the militarization of hospitals, schools, and mosques constitute war crimes under the Geneva Conventions and International Law.