Israel believes that 60% of the underground tunnels under the Gaza Strip used by Palestinian radicals are still intact. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz made the announcement, announcing that he had ordered the military to prioritize their destruction.
“I have instructed the Israel Defense Forces to now carry out the destruction of the tunnels as a central task in the “yellow zone“, which is under our control“, he wrote in X. Previously, Israeli authorities stated that after the withdrawal of troops from central Gaza to the so-called Yellow Line, 53% of the territory of the Strip remained under their control.
“The strategic goal is the demilitarization of Gaza through the complete destruction of the terrorist tunnels, 60% of which still exist, and through the disarmament of Hamas“, Katz added.
According to the minister, Israel will conduct the dismantling of the tunnels in parallel with its dialogue with the United States to further resolve the situation in Gaza Strip.
On September 29, the White House presented the US President's “comprehensive plan“ aimed at resolving the conflict in the Gaza Strip. The 20-point document provides for the introduction of temporary external administration in the Palestinian enclave and the deployment of international stabilization forces there.
On October 9, US President Donald Trump announced that representatives of Israel and Hamas had reached agreements on the first phase of the peace plan after negotiations in Egypt, and a ceasefire in Gaza came into effect on October 10.