Israel announced on Sunday that it will move to destroy Hamas’s tunnel network in Gaza once all Israeli hostages have been released, with plans to carry out the operation under a US-led international framework.
In a statement, Defence Minister Israel Katz said the mission would be a top priority following the current three-day-old ceasefire, which was brokered with the support of the United States.
“Israel’s great challenge after the hostage release phase will be the destruction of all Hamas terrorist tunnels in Gaza,” Katz said.
“I have ordered the army to prepare to carry out this mission.”
The underground tunnel system, used by Hamas to move fighters, weapons, and supplies undetected, has long posed a significant threat to Israeli forces. Some tunnels even stretch beneath the Israel-Gaza border, enabling surprise cross-border attacks.
The tunnel network suffered significant damage during the two-year war that began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault, which saw fighters breach Israeli territory.
Katz said the remaining tunnels will be dismantled as part of broader plans for Hamas’s disarmament and demilitarisation, outlined in the next phase of the US-backed ceasefire agreement.
The first phase of the deal, already underway, includes a ceasefire and the release of 48 Israeli hostages—both living and deceased—by Monday.
Meanwhile, images from Gaza City on October 12, 2025, show civilians navigating rubble and destroyed buildings, reflecting the ongoing humanitarian toll of the conflict.
