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Experts detail 5 ways that Israel can use to overcome Hamas’s deadly tunnels in the war in Gaza, Palestine. Photo/REUTERS
TEL AVIV – One of the biggest challenges facing Israeli forces during their ground operations in Gaza is the large network of underground tunnels used by Hamas. The tunnel network is full of deadly traps.
Hundreds of kilometers long and up to 80 meters deep, this tunnel system is used for a variety of reasons including carrying out attacks, smuggling goods and storing weapons.
But these objects are not easy to find, often hidden under all kinds of buildings. So how will the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) cope?
5 Ways for the Israeli Military to Overcome Hamas’s Deadly Tunnels
Military expert Chris Morris told Sky News that Israeli forces had five options.
1. Send Special Forces Down Under
He explained that although Israel does not know the full extent of the tunnel network, the Zionist military has sufficient information and has developed a “special military unit” specifically designed to deal with the tunnels.
“They are very well equipped, they are very well trained. “They have psychological countermeasures, and they undergo tests to make sure they are mentally strong enough to, if necessary, go down that tunnel,” the military education teacher said.
First, he continued, the IDF will deploy unmanned vehicles to check for traps and collect strong evidence of activity in the tunnel.
However, dropping the people would never be the preferred option and Israel wanted to avoid “tunnel fighting at all costs”.
Ideally, Israeli troops would try to “close” the tunnel.
2. Destroy the Tunnel Entrance
Morris said Israel could do this by bulldozing the tunnel entrance or dropping explosives.
“There are a number of different, very basic physical ways you can get rid of it, but the challenge is identifying it,” he says.
“Just closing the tunnel will have an impact, but ideally you want to know what’s down there,” he said.