In the northern Gaza’s Jabaliya camp, the IDF uncovered an extensive network of tunnels associated with Hamas. This revelation follows the recent recovery of the bodies of five Israeli hostages in the same region. Leading the operation were troops from the 551st Brigade and Military Intelligence’s Unit 504, specifically focused on retrieving the remains of soldiers Warrant Officer Ziv Dado, Cpl. Nik Beizer, and Sgt. Ron Sherman, along with civilians Elia Toledano and Eden Zacharia.
The IDF possessed intelligence indicating the presence of two hostage bodies within the Jabaliya camp area. During their thorough scans, troops identified tunnel shafts that became the focal point of investigation. The examination, conducted by various units, including the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit, uncovered an expansive tunnel network featuring two levels. An elevator descended dozens of meters, revealing a vast hall and command center.
The network, according to the IDF, comprised numerous branches strategically employed by Hamas for combat purposes. Some tunnels extended beneath a nearby school and hospital. Notably, one of the shafts led to the residence of the former commander of Hamas’s northern Gaza brigade, Ahmed Ghandour, who met his demise in an Israeli airstrike. The entire network spanned approximately one square kilometer.
Within the tunnels, the IDF discovered weaponry and infrastructure utilized in the manufacturing of weapons. The first two bodies, those of Dado and Zacharia, were located on December 13. Three days later, the remaining three, Beizer, Sherman, and Toledano, were found in a different section of the tunnel network. The IDF claims to have shared the details of the operation with the families of the hostages, providing insight into the extensive efforts undertaken to retrieve their loved ones.
Several days ago, following the completion of scans in the area, the IDF obliterated the massive tunnel network.
Bring in the bomber jets. Too many young soldiers are dying.