The Israel Defense Force (IDF) claims that its forces discovered traces of hostages inside an underground tunnel in Gaza.
The development comes as the IDF has focused its ground offensive in the city of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. The military showed the tunnel to journalists who were escorted into a neighborhood near the ruins of dismantled homes and streets.
Gaza Underground Tunnel System
A corrugated tin hut was found to have covered the entrance of the tunnel inside a residential yard. The Israeli military also found a makeshift ladder that led to the narrow underground pathway that was roughly 2.5 meters below.
The inside of the underground tunnel was hot and humid and its walls were lined with concrete and electrical wires. Going farther inside, there was a bathroom where the military said it found evidence that hostages had been kept there for some time. They said that the evidence included the captives' DNA.
In a statement, the army's chief spokesman, Daniel Hagari said that hostages were believed to have been held inside the underground tunnel system. He offered no details on what exactly was found inside the pathway nor did he say when the hostages were there or identified them, as per the Associated Press.
The Israeli official also did not say whether or not they were known to still be alive or have already died. The spokesman noted in a later statement to the media that the captives were held in "difficult conditions" but did not elaborate on exactly what that entailed.
Many hostages were freed in a cease-fire deal in late November last year described that they were held inside tunnels. These were said to have been laid by the Hamas militant group throughout the Gaza Strip.
On the other hand, Israel said that these tunnels have long been used to smuggle weapons and fighters throughout the blockaded territory. The latest underground tunnel was found in a part of the city that appears to have endured heavy fighting as a nearby residence was badly damaged.
Traces of Hamas Hostages
In a separate building, the walls were blasted out of several apartments as large mounds of dirt surrounded the area. These were apparently from Israeli bulldozers that were searching for buried explosives, according to ABC News.
A tank was also seen parked outside an empty school where an Israeli flag was hung from the exterior walls. Then, a sound of what seemed to be a drone buzzed overhead as gunfire could be heard in the far distance.
The Israeli military said that the terrorist group is operating from inside the tunnels and military officials have made it their top goal to destroy the tunnel system. The commander of the IDF's 98th Division, Brig. Gen. Dan Goldfus described the tunnels as posing a "720-degree threat."
In a separate location, Israeli soldiers also reported to have found various weapon stashes, which include AK-47 rifles, RPG launchers, grenades, cartridges, and military vests. This followed an announcement by the IDF where it said that its forces killed roughly 40 members of Hamas during the expanded ground operation in Khan Younis, said Yahoo News.
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