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The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have publicized a video showing a tunnel they discovered beneath the Al-Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip, allegedly used by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
According to CNN and Reuters on the 19th (local time), the IDF released a 3-minute and 27-second silent video, stating, “We discovered a tunnel connected to an underground passage in the Al-Shifa Hospital complex in the Gaza Strip.” The video was reportedly taken on the 17th.
The video shows soldiers lowering equipment to search inside the tunnel. The IDF stated that the depth of the tunnel discovered in the hospital complex is about 33 feet and its length is about 180 feet.
Daniel Haggiri, IDF’s senior spokesperson, explained, “We discovered this entrance after demolishing the outer wall of the hospital complex with a military bulldozer. If you go down the spiral staircase from this entrance about 33 feet, you’ll find the main tunnel entrance.” According to Haggiri, if you go about 16 feet into the main tunnel and turn right, a tunnel about 164 feet long opens up. He stated, “There is a bomb-proof door at the end of the tunnel, and we haven’t opened the door yet because there might be a booby trap. We believe there is a fork in the tunnel or a large space for command and control beyond that door.”
While the IDF has claimed to have discovered the entrance to a Hamas tunnel in the Al-Shifa Hospital complex, this is the first time a video has been released. Hamas has admitted to having a network of tunnels and bunkers throughout the Palestinian territories, but has denied that they are located in civilian facilities such as hospitals.
The IDF plans to continue searching the area, suspecting that there may be a passage connecting this tunnel and nearby houses. They also reported that they found a vehicle loaded with numerous weapons, including RPGs, explosives, and rifles, within the hospital complex.
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