Hamas terror tunnel
Hamas terror tunnelIDF Spokesperson's office

The head of the IDF’s Southern Command promised on Friday that the IDF would locate and destroy all of Hamas’s terror tunnels.

Speaking hours after the IDF confirmed that it had uncovered a “highly advanced” tunnel leading from Gaza into Israel, Major General Sami Turgeman said, "We monitored the tunnel for a long time thanks to our intelligence capabilities. There are more tunnels and we will destroy them all.”

"Hamas is investing considerable effort in tunnels,” continued Turgeman. “Instead of investing its resources and efforts in building the strength and welfare of the population in Gaza, it is investing in these dark and booby-trapped tunnels."

"Hamas suffered a loss with the exposure of the tunnel but it is important to say right now: the expected loss to Hamas in Gaza and its leadership in the use of the tunnels will be several times greater. We will continue our efforts to uncover all the tunnels,” he added.

On Thursday night, Hamas said that the tunnel that was uncovered was an old one that members of the terror group had simply rebuilt. The group also claimed that the tunnel was only exposed because of bad weather.

Turgeman rejected those claims, saying, "This tunnel was a work in progress. Hamas men worked there in recent days and there is evidence to prove this.”

Back in October, IDF soldiers discovered a tunnel, built by Gaza terrorists, that led from Gaza to an Israeli kibbutz.

The terror tunnel that was exposed began in the Gaza town of Absan al-Zariz, located between the city of Khan Younis and the Gaza security fence. It extended for 2.5 kilometers (over 1.5 miles).

Hamas later admitted that it was behind the tunnel and said that it “was made by the hand of the fighters of al-Qassam and they will not sleep in their efforts to hit the occupation and kidnap soldiers.”

(Arutz Sheva’s North American Desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)