According to reports, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) eliminated a significant, last-ditch effort by Hamas to attack Israelis; The militants were reportedly planning a strike in an underground tunnel system that was destroyed by the Israeli Air Force (IAF).
As initially reported by The Times of Israel, the IDF reportedly prevented a final strike that Gaza’s chief terrorist organization, Hamas, was planning to carry out just before the ceasefire was implemented at 2:00 AM Israel Time on Friday morning. According to the report, Israel’s military preemptively identified Hamas militants seeking to enter Israel via an underground tunnel system, resulting in a significant airstrike carried out by the IAF, killing the targets.
A major component that would have prevented the killing of any Israeli civilians is the newly installed anti-tunnel barrier system that the Jewish state has in place. The barrier was completed in March, just in time for the unforeseen events of the last two weeks. Furthermore, the barrier is a thick concrete wall running deep into the ground that not only prevents the furthering of tunnels but is also equipped with sensors that detect enemy activity underground.
It is believed that should the attempt by Hamas have been successfully conducted, the ceasefire could have been jeopardized.
Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire on Thursday that was instituted on Friday at 2:00 AM, with military exchanges expected to occur until the top of the hour. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) even threatened to attack Tel Aviv at 1:59 AM.
Following the ceasefire, excavations began on the destroyed Hamas tunnel system(s), revealing a number of casualties related to the Iranian-backed terrorist organization.
