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The tunnel network in the Gaza Strip played a prominent role in inflicting heavy losses on Israel in lives and military equipment after 100 days of fierce battles in the first tunnel war of the 21st century.
The al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), resorted to the tunnel network after Israel left no option above ground under the suffocating siege imposed, according to a report by the journalist Salam Khader broadcast by Al Jazeera.
Hamas took the initiative to dig, construct and equip a network of tunnels – according to the report – as part of a defensive and offensive combat strategy in preparation for the first tunnel war in the 21st century, inspired by the Kochi tunnel in Vietnam, an experience on which to build after it turned into a real nightmare for the US military.
In the same context, Israel suffers from the Gaza tunnels, despite being pushed by specialized engineering units to deal with them, as well as resorting to various methods to neutralize their danger, such as bombardment with bombs that have the ability to penetrate 15 meters of soil.
According to the report, the network of tunnels used by the Qassam Brigades is divided into tunnels of security, attack, defense, supply and command, some of which reach a depth of 30 meters, and some consist of a series of highly equipped layers.
The tunnel nozzles turned into death ambushes to inflict heavy losses on the Israeli occupation forces penetrating into the various axes of the Gaza Strip.
It should be noted that the Hebrew newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth" reported that the Israeli army was surprised by the size of the tunnel network in Gaza, after it appeared about 600% larger than expected.
Source : Al Jazeera