by Nikki Guttman and AP
Tunnel sealed with concrete to prevent future rehabilitation of infrastructure
|
A Hamas-dug attack
tunnel discovered and destroyed by the
Israeli military over the weekend
Photo: IDF
Spokesperson's Unit
Israeli
forces exposed and destroyed a Hamas-built terror tunnel over the
weekend stretching across the Gaza border and several meters into
Israeli territory, the IDF revealed Sunday.
The tunnel had been dug nearly as far as the Israeli community of Kibbutz Nahal Oz, near the border.
The tunnel was detected by advanced Israeli
military technology. Upon its discovery, dozens of Israeli cement
mixers were brought to the site to pour concrete into the tunnel and
seal it.
According to the Israeli military, the
method of pouring concrete into the tunnel prevents Hamas from
rehabilitating the destroyed tunnel for future use, something is has
attempted a number of times after Israel destroyed its tunnels by other
means.
IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis
summed up the event Sunday, saying that "we are nearing our objective of
completely removing the tunnel threat by the end of 2018. This was the
fifth terror tunnel discovered within Israeli territory in recent
months."
Referring to the 2014 war between Israel
and Hamas, during which Israel destroyed much of Hamas' extensive tunnel
infrastructure, Manelis added that "The tunnel was dug from Jabaliya
[in Gaza], and work on it began after [the 2014 war] Operation
Protective Edge."
"We have been monitoring it for some time,
and at no point did it pose any threat to the residents of Israel," he
continued. "This was the first tunnel discovered in the northern arena
since Operation Protective Edge. All the rest of the tunnels were in the
southern arena."
The latest Hamas tunnel was connected to a
network dug in the northern Gaza Strip. The tunnel was adjacent to the
site of recent mass protests, which Israel says Hamas is using as a
cover for attacks.
In two weeks of border protests, more than
30 Palestinians have been killed and at least 1,500 wounded by Israeli
fire. The marches have been organized by Gaza's Hamas rulers.
"The fact that the tunnel was situated
within the area of the border protests is exactly what we're dealing
with," Manelis noted. "If the border fence is breached, it will not only
be civilians who enter [Israel] but also terror operatives who will use
infrastructure like this tunnel."
"The tunnel is long and well built,"
Manelis added. "It only proves how cynical Hamas is – investing in
tunnels instead of [Gaza] residents. This is not the way to confront
Gaza's problems."
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the
tunnel destroyed over the weekend was the longest and deepest tunnel
Israel has discovered thus far.
"It's a tunnel that cost millions of
dollars to dig, money that instead of going to ease the hardship of
Gaza's residents has sunk in the sand," he said. "Residents of Gaza:
Hamas is burning your money on tunnels to nowhere."
"We are not looking to exacerbate
tensions," the spokesman added. "We do not want the situation to
deteriorate. We will not allow any violations of our sovereignty but at
the same time we are making a lot efforts for the benefit of the [Gaza]
population like increasing the fishing area and sending more trucks
through the Kerem Shalom [border crossing]."
Hamas had no immediate comment.
Israel is now working on a subterranean
barrier to detect and prevent attack tunnels. Israel says the barrier,
as well as new technological innovations, have rendered the Hamas tunnel
project futile.
So far, Israel has completed 9 kilometers of the underground barrier along the 65-kilometer border.
Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008. During the most recent conflict in 2014, Israel destroyed 32 tunnels.
Nikki Guttman and AP
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/2018/04/15/idf-discovers-and-destroys-cross-border-hamas-terror-tunnel/
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