How Are They Constructed?
So, what’s the secret sauce? Workers don’t simply dig the Hamas tunnels with shovels and pickaxes. They utilize machinery, primarily electrical drills, in combination with manual labor.
The soil in the Gaza Strip primarily consists of clay and sand, which can serve as both a blessing and a curse. While it’s relatively easy to dig through, it’s also prone to collapse. To prevent this, workers often use wooden planks or metal sheets to reinforce the tunnel walls.
Use By Hamas
Hamas utilizes the dense population of Gaza as a shield by constructing tunnels under heavily populated zones. Often, the entrances to these tunnels are concealed within civilian structures like schools, mosques, and hospitals. This militant group intentionally situates its terror infrastructure within civilian locales, aware of the IDF’s hesitance to target such areas. Paradoxically, not only Hamas but other militant factions in Gaza also end up causing harm to their own civilians. For instance, in October 2023, a misfire from the Islamic Jihad resulted in a rocket hitting the Al-Ahli (Al-Ma’amadani) Hospital, a blame which Hamas quickly shifted onto Israel.
The tunnel exits occasionally stretch beyond Gaza’s borders into Israeli land, with many discovered near Israeli settlements. In recent instances, Hamas squads utilized these underground networks to infiltrate Israel. A notable incident on July 28 saw terrorists entering Israel via a tunnel near Nahal Oz, aiming to target a nearby Israeli settlement, but they were foiled by IDF troops. Earlier on July 17, armed terrorists emerged from a tunnel near Sufa. On a separate occasion, Hamas members donned IDF uniforms and entered Israel through another tunnel, both times intending harm to Israeli civilians, reminiscent of the tragic events of October 2023 that ignited the Hamas-Israel conflict.
The Cost of Construction
Despite the pressing need for civilian construction, Hamas diverts millions of dollars and resources toward expanding its extensive tunnel network. While Israel channels construction materials to Gaza every month for civil endeavors, Hamas commandeers these resources for its tunnels. From January 2014, 4,680 trucks loaded with 181 thousand tons of essential construction materials crossed into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom checkpoint. Instead of utilizing these supplies for building homes, hospitals, or schools to enhance living conditions in Gaza, Hamas chooses to fortify its subterranean network of terror.
The Wider Implications
The Hamas tunnels, weaving beneath the Gaza Strip’s landscape, have shaped regional politics and discussions on peace in the Middle East. Their mere existence offers a window into the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
As a response to the construction of the tunnels, Israel invested in technologies like the “underground barrier,” a system of advanced sensor-equipped walls to detect tunnel activities. Furthermore, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have undertaken multiple operations to locate and neutralize these tunnels.
Conversely, in the eyes of many Palestinians, these tunnels underscore endurance. Given the blockade, in their eyes, they’ve become essential conduits for goods that are otherwise hard to come by. For their enemy, they are a conduit to promoting the continuance of terrorism.
In the larger scheme, the Hamas tunnels are a metaphor for the deep-rooted issues that define the Israeli-Palestinian relationship. They reflect the multifaceted challenges that any peace process must address.
Understanding the Depths of the Conflict
The Hamas tunnels are more than just underground passageways. They are a testament to determination and adaptability. Israel would very much like to see them gone.
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