The Israeli military on Friday claimed that it discovered and dismantled a complex tunnel network used as an underground base by the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza City.
The multi-level structure located in the Issa area allegedly served various purposes, including storage, hideouts, command and control, and the movement of operatives between different areas. The IDF's K-9 or dog unit played a crucial role in exposing the hundreds of metres-long tunnel network. IDF operational activity in the area also led to the destruction of numerous buildings serving as Hamas headquarters, Israel has claimed.
As part of the mission, soldiers from the Yiftah Battalion and combat engineering forces targeted Hamas headquarters, eliminating an alleged terrorist cell attempting to attack the forces in close-quarters combat. The operations resulted in the elimination of many Hamas operatives, destruction of buildings used for terrorist activities, and the discovery of several shafts leading to the significant underground tunnel route.
IDF's Yahalom Unit and Oketz K-9 Unit examined the strategic tunnel route, collaborating with the combat engineering forces of the 99th Division to ensure its destruction. Footage released by the IDF's Marom Brigade's Oketz K-9 Unit showcased the extensive tunnel network, complete with command and communication rooms, hideouts, concrete bunkers, and essential installations for water and electricity.
On Friday, the UN Security Council urgently called for the swift delivery of aid to Gaza on a comprehensive scale as the head of the World Health Organization warned of a looming famine in the besieged Palestinian territory.
As Israeli bombs rained down on targets across Gaza, members of the UN's top peacemaking council demanded "immediate, safe and unhindered" deliveries of life-saving aid.
