Israel announces destruction of underwater Hamas tunnel
Palestinian analysts believe that Israel announced the destruction of a recently discovered underwater tunnel in the Gaza Strip as part of a media strategy aimed at deflecting attention from its response to Gaza border protests.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Israeli army announced in a statement June 10 that it had destroyed an underwater tunnel that Hamas had built to allow its members to enter through one of its military positions in northern Gaza and to exit to the sea without being noticed. This tunnel, which according to the army allows Hamas to launch operations from the sea, was destroyed during the latest escalation between both parties.
In the early hours of June 18, the Palestinians launched three rockets toward Israel from the Gaza Strip after Israeli airplanes shelled nine Hamas targets in response to incendiary kites and balloons that were sent into Israel during the Great Return March protests. These rockets were the first in two weeks after an unofficial truce was reached between Hamas and Israel.
This is the first underwater tunnel the Israeli army has targeted, but it is expected that the army may discover other underwater tunnels in its efforts to take action against the land tunnels. The latest operation took place in April, when the army said it destroyed the longest land tunnel it had discovered thus far, which was connected to a large network of Hamas tunnels.
Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot announced Jan. 18 a comprehensive plan to destroy all tunnels of the Palestinian resistance that reach beyond the Israeli borders by the end of 2018.
