Israel releases Hamas tunnel video, 5 hostages found dead inside
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has released video footage of what it claimed is a massive tunnel in the Gaza Strip used by Hamas where five hostages were found dead. The deceased hostages were abducted from Israel by the Palestinian terrorist group on October 7. According to the Daily Mail, the labyrinthine tunnel lies more than 32ft below schools and hospitals in the northern Jabalia city of the strip.
Why does this story matter?
The war in the Gaza Strip started on October 7 after the Palestinian terrorist group killed nearly 1,200 Israelis and took around 240 hostages during its cross-border attacks on the Jewish nation. Israel responded by launching a multi-pronged military aggression in Hamas-controlled Gaza, killing more than 20,000 Palestinians so far. Significantly, the ongoing war has also triggered a major humanitarian crisis in the strip.
IDF reveals identities of deceased Hamas hostages
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the IDF said its troops located and recovered the bodies of the five hostages in a centralized intelligence effort and brought them back to Israel. Furthermore, the Israeli military confirmed the identities of the deceased individuals as soldiers: Warrant Officer Ziv Dado, Corporal Nik Beizer, and Sergeant Ron Sherman, per Times of Israel. The other two are civilians, Elia Toledano and Eden Zacharia.
Check out IDF's video on secret Hamas tunnel here
Know about IDF troops' operational update in Gaza
In another X post on Monday, the Israeli military said its naval troops struck several Hamas targets in Gaza. IDF ground troops also eliminated numerous Hamas terrorists inside a facility. "Following their identification, the ground troops directed an [Israeli Air Force] fighter jet to strike the infrastructure," it added. Moreover, during "a targeted activity" at the residence of a Hamas terrorist in Khan Yunis, the IDF discovered weapons and destroyed the building afterward.
Israel earlier discovered 'biggest' Hamas tunnel near Gaza border
On December 18, the IDF said it uncovered a vast concrete and iron-girded tunnel that measured over four kilometers and was designed to carry carloads of Hamas terrorists from Gaza right up to the Israeli border. Located roughly 400 meters (1,310 feet) from the Erez Crossing between Israel and Gaza, the IDF labeled it as the "biggest" Hamas tunnel found by them so far.
