The New York Time: Hamas’s tunnels will require years to be destroyed
The New York Times reported in a lengthy report that Hamas’s tunnels astonished Israel and the US, noting that there is a tunnel extending the length of 3 football fields and another long enough for a senior Hamas official to drive his car inside.
The New York Times spoke with Israeli officials and soldiers who visited the tunnels, in addition to current and former US officials familiar with the region, noting that the Israeli army was surprised by the extent, depth and quality of the tunnel network under Gaza.
Israeli and US officials told the New York Times that the scope, depth and quality of the tunnels built by Hamas astonished them, explaining that some of the machines Hamas used to build the tunnels that were seen in the videos that were documented also surprised the Israeli army.
The report stated that the Israeli army found under the house of a senior Hamas leader a spiral staircase leading to a tunnel approximately 7 floors deep.
Senior Israeli security officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, estimate that the network currently extends between 350 and 450 miles (560 to 720 km), unusual numbers for a region where the longest point is only 25 miles.
Two officials also estimated that there are approximately from 5,700 separate openings leading to the tunnels.
The New York Times reported that in December 2023, the network was estimated at about 250 miles.
At a meeting in January 2023, a senior Israeli military official said the tunnels wouldn’t be an effective force in any future war with Hamas because of Israel’s military strength, according to a transcript of the discussion reviewed by The New York Times.
However, CIA officer Aaron Greenstone said According to the New York Times, “Hamas has used time and resources over the past fifteen years to turn Gaza into a fortress”.
For the Israeli army, the tunnels are an underground nightmare and the basis of Hamas’s ability to survive, especially since every strategic goal for Israel in Gaza is now linked to eliminating the tunnels.
According to the New York Times, Hamas invested heavily in tunnels because it doesn’t have the resources or numbers necessary to fight the Israeli army in a conventional war.
The Israeli army now believes there are many more tunnels under Gaza.
One 2022 document showed that Hamas allocated a budget of $1 million for tunnel doors, underground workshops, and other expenses in Khan Yunis.
Israeli intelligence officials recently estimated that there are about 100 miles of tunnels beneath Khan Yunis, the largest city in the southern Gaza Strip, where Israeli forces are now engaged in heavy fighting.
Additionally, a 2015 report indicated that Hamas spent more than $3 million on tunnels throughout the Gaza Strip including many built under civilian infrastructure and sensitive sites such as schools and hospitals, the Israeli army said.
The Israeli army stated that it found two types of tunnels: tunnels used by commanders and others used by activists.
The tunnels for leadership have become deeper and more comfortable, allowing for longer stays.
