Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By simmons on July 23, 2015

Story highlights Hamas tunnels are the battleground of the future, Israel fears Israel is testing a secret new tunnel detection system

They knew that Palestinian militants had been digging tunnels for years, but they didn't expect anything so elaborate.

The tunnel's walls, floors, and ceiling were made of concrete, and the tunnel was wired for electricity and communication.

It was wide enough and tall enough to move quickly; a person could run with weapons, or even ride a motorcycle.

"This tunnel is perfectly safe to be inside, which means that it is a very good building procedure," Israel Defense Forces Capt. Daniel Elbo says. And he would know -- Israeli military engineers briefed him after they checked it out.

During the 2014 Gaza war, Hamas militants launched surprise attacks from tunnels that crossed under Israel's security fence and into Israel.

Identifying and destroying the tunnels became a major goal of the war for the IDF, which found many tunnels that were more than a mile long and 60 feet deep. By war's end, the IDF had destroyed 32 tunnels.

Now, along the Gaza border, the Israeli military is testing a new tunnel detection system a year after the end of the Gaza war.

Israel's intelligence officials say Hamas is building new tunnels, and finding them has become a top priority for the IDF.

"Just like a game of hide-and-seek," says Maj. Nir Peled. "We manage to find one tunnel, so we know that Hamas are digging the next tunnel in a different way, in a different depth."

Go here to read the rest:
Israel battles Hamas in tunnel 'hide and seek' - CNN.com

Category: Jewish American Heritage Month
Tags: