In a chilling development, a video has emerged on Sunday, showcasing the elaborate underground headquarters of Hamas' Northern Brigade. The footage offers a glimpse into the sinister depths where the bodies of five hostages were tragically discovered.
The Israeli army has released footage showcasing a significant underground hub that has been unearthed in Gaza's Jabaliya neighborhood. This particular area has been a hotbed of intense conflict during the recent weeks of the war.
Footage Shows Hamas Tunnels With Dead Hostages
NORTHERN GAZA, GAZA- DECEMBER 15: Israeli soldiers exit a tunnel near the border with Israel on December 15, 2023 in northern Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces say this is the largest tunnel they've found yet in Gaza, comprising branches that extend well over four kilometers (2.5 miles) and reaches 400 meters (1,310 feet) from the Erez crossing. The IDF alleges the project of building the tunnel was led by Mohammed Sinwar, the brother of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and was used as part of the Oct. 7 attack, funnelling fighters near the Erez crossing and Israeli border communities. As the IDF have pressed into Gaza as part of their campaign to defeat Hamas, they have highlighted the militant group's extensive tunnel network as emblematic of the way the group embeds itself and its military activity in civilian areas.
In the video, Israeli soldiers can be seen discovering a concealed weapons cache within a building. This particular building also serves as an access point to an underground tunnel system.
According to the Times of Israel, the network spanned an area larger than a square third-of-a-mile and extended beneath a neighboring school and hospital. It was reported to be connected to the residence of Ahmed Ghandour, the former leader of Hamas' northern brigade, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike.
In the tunnel system, there was a fully functional bathroom, along with additional toilets, a designated water cooler area, and workshop stations equipped with numerous rifle ammo supplies.
In a recent development, it has been reported that the tunnel, which had been under scrutiny by the IDF, was destroyed several days ago. This action was taken after the army concluded its thorough examination of the surrounding area. Furthermore, it was announced that the Hamas Jabaliya battalion has been successfully dismantled.
In a recent operation, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a raid with the objective of accessing the tunnel system. This action was prompted by intelligence reports received earlier this month, which suggested that the Jabaliya area might be holding the remains of at least two hostages.
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Israel-Hamas Conflict
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) successfully retrieved the bodies of five individuals from the tunnel network. The deceased have been identified as Ziv Dado, aged 36; Eden Zacharia, aged 27; Nik Beizer, aged 19; Ron Sherman, aged 19; and Elia Toledano, aged 28.
In a tragic turn of events, Dado, a warrant officer serving in the Golani Brigade, lost his life during a terrorist attack on October 7th. Additionally, Zacharia, one of the individuals attending the Nova festival, was among the hostages taken by the Palestinian terror group Hamas during their raid on Israel on the same day.
In a recent incident along the Gaza border, two soldiers, Beizer and Sherman, were kidnapped. Beizer, a corporal with the IDF, and Sherman, a sergeant, were taken captive on October 7th. Toledano, yet another participant at the Nova festival, found himself separated from his friend and fellow French-Israeli citizen, Mia Schem. It is worth noting that Schem was among the fortunate group of over 100 hostages who were freed in November.
The Jabaliya tunnel has been destroyed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). This incident occurred as the IDF carried out an operation to demolish a substantial tunnel system situated beneath Palestine Square in Gaza's affluent Rimal neighborhood.
According to officials, it is believed that Hamas' top Gaza leader, Yahya Sinwar, and military chief, Muhammad Deif, were operating in the Gaza City tunnel during the Israeli incursion on October 7. This operation resulted in the tragic loss of 1,200 lives and the abduction of over 240 individuals, as per N Y Post.
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