Terrorists marching (illustration)
Terrorists marching (illustration)Flash 90

Former defense minister, MK Shaul Mofaz (Kadima) said Wednesday that the IDF was aware of the tunnel threat from Gaza before Operation Protective Edge was launched, but not of its extent.

"It is time to check the northern border, so that we do not underestimate matters there as well,” he told IDF Radio. He was referring to tunnels that Hezbollah is believed to have dug into northern Israel.

"The combat echelon and the IDF's field commanders fought on the ground and saved us with their courage this time,” Mofaz added. “They covered for mistakes or underestimations in other echelons, and this underestimation needs to be analyzed meticulously and fixed, with an eye to the future.”

The IDF said it had completed the demolition of 32 tunnels as a 72-hour ceasefire went into effect Tuesday.

All in all, the IDF said, 4,800 targets were attacked and 900 terrorists eliminated. IDF casualties were 64 killed and over 400 wounded.

There is great skepticism about the ceasefire agreement, after six previous agreements were broken by Hamas. In the course of the 72-hour lull, if it is respected, Israel and Hamas are conducting indirect negotiations with the mediation of Egypt and the Palestinian Authority.